Woodall MN, Nakaji P, Spetzler RF. Benefits of Treating Arteriovenous Malformations in Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia: A Retrospective Analysis of 14 Patients.
World Neurosurg X 2019;
3:100029. [PMID:
31225521 PMCID:
PMC6584483 DOI:
10.1016/j.wnsx.2019.100029]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are a cardinal feature of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). However, whether to treat brain AVMs in patients with HHT remains questionable because of the possible risks.
Methods
We performed a retrospective study of patients with HHT who had been treated for brain AVMs at our institution from January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2016. An institutional database was queried for the phrases “hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia” and “HHT,” and those patients who had been treated during the study period were identified. Data were extracted regarding presentation, AVM characteristics, treatment modality, and treatment outcomes.
Results
We identified 14 patients (10 males, 4 females) with HHT who had had AVMs (n = 27) from the institutional database. The mean age of the patients was 43 years (range, 2–64). Of the 27 brain AVMs, 13 were Spetzler-Martin grade I, 12 were grade II, and 2 were grade III; none were grade IV or V. Treatment was by microsurgery only (11 AVMs in 10 patients), embolization followed by microsurgery (2 AVMs in 2 patients), and radiosurgery only (12 AVMs in 2 patients). AVM obliteration was achieved in 100% of the patients. No new fixed neurologic deficits developed after treatment of unruptured HHT AVMs.
Conclusions
The risk of treatment of brain AVMs in patients with HHT is quite low for appropriately selected patients with treatment individualized to radiosurgery, microsurgery, or a combination of embolization and microsurgery.
Collapse