Transumbilical arterial embolization of a large dural arteriovenous fistula in a low-birth-weight neonate with congestive heart failure

Characteristics and outcomes of pediatric dural arteriovenous fistulas: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Dural arteriovenous fistulas (dAVF) are arteriovenous shunts in communication with the dural vasculature in the brain or spine. Apart from single-center series, risk factors and treatment outcomes for pediatric dAVFs are largely undescribed.

METHODS

We performed a systematic literature review of pediatric (< 18 years at diagnosis) intracranial and spinal dAVF according to PRISMA guidelines. We queried PubMed, CINAHL, SCOPUS, and Embase databases without time/date restriction. Search strings included a variety of MeSH keywords relating to dural AV fistulas in combination with MeSH keywords related to pediatric cases (see Appendix). Manuscripts describing patients diagnosed with dural sinus malformations or pial AVF were excluded.

RESULTS

We identified 61 studies describing 69 individual patients. Overall, dAVF were more common in males (55.1%) with a mean age of diagnosis (5.17 ± 4.42 years). Approximately 20.2% of patients presented with cardiovascular disease (CVD), and 31.9% were discovered incidentally on neuroimaging studies. Transverse-sigmoid junction was the most common location (17.3%). Ninety-three percent (64 patients) were treated, most commonly using endovascular embolization (68.1%) followed by surgery (8.7%) and radiosurgery (2.9%). Almost half (43.8%) of dAVFs were completely obliterated. Of the 64 procedures, there were 19 neurological complications (29.7%) of varying severity where 12.5% were considered transient (i.e., pseudomeningocele) and 17.2% permanent (i.e., mortality secondary to acute sinus thrombosis, etc.).

CONCLUSION

There is a paucity of information on pediatric dAVFs. This systematic review summarizes the published cases of dAVFs in the pediatric population. While the rate of missing data is high, there is publication bias, and precise details regarding complications are difficult to ascertain, this review serves as a descriptive summary of pediatric dAVFs.

Standard umbilical artery catheters used as diagnostic and neurointerventional guide catheters in the treatment of neonatal cerebrovascular malformations

BACKGROUND

Vascular access in neonates is limited by the small size of the femoral artery and the risk of complications, including thrombosis and limb ischemia. Although umbilical artery access has been described, previous reports detail exchange of the umbilical artery catheter (UAC) for a conventional arterial sheath, which can be difficult and cumbersome. We aim to describe direct use of the UAC as the sheath and guide catheter in neonatal patients requiring endovascular treatment for life-threatening intracranial arteriovenous shunts.

METHODS

We reviewed all cases between 2016 and 2021 of neonatal intervention using a direct UAC approach. We describe our technique of utilizing UACs for cerebral angiography and neurointerventions in newborns without catheter exchange, allowing for repeated, straightforward endovascular access in neonates across multiple interventions.

RESULTS

Seven consecutive neonates underwent endovascular neurointerventional procedures for the treatment of life-threatening, high-flow arteriovenous shunts using a direct UAC access technique without procedural morbidity. Five of seven patients underwent more than one procedure in the neonatal period, between day 1 and day 10 of life.

CONCLUSIONS

Use of the UAC itself as a diagnostic catheter for cerebral angiography or as a guide catheter for neurointerventions greatly facilitates endovascular interventions in newborns and is ideal for patients requiring multiple interventions in the neonatal period. This technique helps to mitigate the risk of neonatal femoral artery access and its complications, including thrombosis, dissection, spasm, stenosis, and limb ischemia.

Development of bilateral subdural hematoma after endovascular embolization of a dural sinus malformation

INTRODUCTION

Dural sinus malformation is a rare congenital malformation characterized by a remarkable dilated dural sinus pouch. We described the development of bilateral subdural hematoma after endovascular embolization of a dural sinus malformation in an infant.

CASE DESCRIPTION

A 32-day male infant was observed to have a fever and enlarged head circumference. A dural sinus malformation with giant dural sinus pouch thrombosis was established by magnetic resonance imaging and digital subtraction angiography. The patient developed bilateral subdural hematoma after endovascular embolization of the dural fistula. His neurological outcome was normal at 3-year follow-up.

CONCLUSION

We report a case of development of bilateral subdural hematoma after endovascular embolization of a dural sinus malformation and had a normal neurological outcome.

Umbilical vessel catheter retro-exchange technique (U-RET) for repeat use of the umbilical artery for neonatal vascular intervention: Technical note

A high flow arteriovenous shunts in newborns may require urgent endovascular treatment right immediately after delivery if high output cardiac failure is resistant to medical treatment. The umbilical approach is often the first choice of the access route for endovascular treatment in the newborn. It is, however, not infrequent that the patient has an extensive lesion, which necessitates a second session of treatment because of the limitation of the usable amount of the contrast material in one session. In such a case, re-puncturing the femoral artery is difficult and carries the risk of leg ischemia. On the other hand, leaving the umbilical sheath for the second procedure carries risks of infection, thrombosis, and vessel injury. Herein we introduce our umbilical vessel catheter (UVC) retro-exchange technique (U-RET) in which we replace the umbilical sheath to a 3.5Fr UVC at the end of the first endovascular procedure to preserve the umbilical artery access and prepare for the repeated use. We believe that this method minimizes the risks of infection and vessel injury.

Coil and Onyx embolization of a torcular herophili dural arteriovenous fistula in a full-term neonate with advanced heart failure using a transumbilical approach

Neonatal dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) are rare, but if left untreated will advance to life-threatening neurological and cardiovascular compromise. Endovascular treatment is the preferred treatment modality for DAVFs. The goal of endovascular therapy is to obliterate feeding vasculature and prevent secondary complications. Endovascular access can be difficult to obtain in a neonate. The authors present the case of a full-term, normal birth weight neonate with severe congestive heart failure secondary to a congenital DAVF of the torcular herophili that was successfully treated with transumbilical arterial coil embolization and a liquid embolic agent.

Therapeutic progress in pediatric intracranial dural arteriovenous shunts: A review

Pediatric dural arteriovenous shunts (dAVSs) are a rare form of vascular disease: Fewer than 100 cases are reported in PubMed and the understanding of pediatric dAVS is limited. For this study, we searched in PubMed, reviewed and summarized the literature related to pediatric dAVSs. Our review revealed that pediatric dAVSs have an unfavorable natural history: If left untreated, the majority of pediatric dAVSs deteriorate. In a widely accepted classification scheme developed by Lasjaunias et al., pediatric dAVSs are divided into three types: Dural sinus malformation (DMS) with dAVS, infantile dAVS (IDAVS) and adult-type dAVS (ADAVS). In general, the clinical manifestations of dAVS can be summarized as having symptoms due to high-flow arteriovenous shunts, symptoms from retrograde venous drainage, symptoms from cavernous sinus involvement and hydrocephalus, among other signs and symptoms. The pediatric dAVSs may be identified with several imaging techniques; however, the gold standard is digital subtraction angiography (DSA), which indicates unique anatomical details and hemodynamic features. Effectively treating pediatric dAVS is difficult and the prognosis is often unsatisfactory. Transarterial embolization with liquid embolic agents and coils is the treatment of choice for the safe stabilization and/or improvement of the symptoms of pediatric dAVS. In some cases, transumbilical arterial and transvenous approaches have been effective, and surgical resection is also an effective alternative in some cases. Nevertheless, pediatric dAVS can have an unsatisfactory prognosis, even when timely and appropriate treatment is administered; however, with the development of embolization materials and techniques, the potential for improved treatments and prognoses is increasing.

Neuro-Interventions for the Neonates with Brain Arteriovenous Fistulas: With Special Reference to Access Routes

Neonatal neuro-intervention is challenging. The purpose of this article is to report the neuro-intervention for the neonates with brain arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs), with special reference to access routes. Fifteen neonates (12 boys and 3 girls) who underwent neuro-intervention within the first 14 days of life were -included. Their diagnoses included vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation (6), dural sinus malformations with arteriovenous (AV) shunts (6), pial AVF (2), and epidural AVF (1). Birth weight ranged from 1,538 g to 3,778 g (mean 2,525 g). Neuro-interventions, especially access routes, in the neonatal periods (< 1 month) were retrospectively reviewed. All neonates presented with severe cardiac failure. In total, 29 interventions (mean 1.9) were performed within 1 month. Although 12 neonates with birth weight more than 2,700 g could be treated through transfemoral arterial routes, 3 neonates with birth weight less than 2,200 g could not be treated successfully by femoral arterial routes. Interventions were performed through 19 femoral arterial, 3 femoral venous, 2 umbilical arterial, 3 umbilical venous, 3 transcardiac, and 2 direct carotid routes. Their overall outcomes were six good recovery, one moderate disability, two severe disabilities, one vegetative state, and five deaths with a mean follow-up period of 7 years 2 months. Neuro-intervention for the neonates with birth weight more than 2,700 g can be performed by femoral arterial routes using a 4F sheath. For those with birth weight less than 2,200 g, however, alternative access routes are required.