Pediatric extracranial arteriovenous malformations

Treatment Effectiveness and Recurrence of Extracranial Arteriovenous Malformations Following Surgical Operations: A 15-Year Retrospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

At present, there is no golden standard for treatment of extracranial arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and recurrence remains a major challenge with limited available evidence on the associated factors. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of surgical treatment options, in terms of size reduction, symptoms, and early recurrence in patients treated surgically for AVMs.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate patients with AVMs following surgical treatment in 2 centers from 2005 to 2020. Posttreatment lesion size and symptoms, as well as recurrence, were assessed. Multiple regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with recurrence.

RESULTS

Forty-four surgical treatment cases in 31 patients were assessed with a mean follow-up duration period of 67.9 ± 39.5 months. Treatment included total resection in 26 cases (59.1%) and partial resection 18 (40.9%), with free flap coverage used in 19 cases (43.2%). No acute exacerbation following treatment was observed in our cohort. Total resection significantly reduced posttreatment lesion size ( P < 0.001), symptoms ( P < 0.001), and recurrence (20.0%, P = 0.03). The recurrence rate was significantly higher after partial resection (73.7%, P = 0.03). Total resection was identified as an associated factor for significantly reduced AVM recurrence (odds ratio: 0.12; 95% confidence interval: 0.03, 0.52). However, the use of free flaps did not significantly reduce recurrence, post treatment size or improve AVM symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Total resection is the optimal treatment for AVMs. Free flaps are useful in covering large defects but the regulative effect of free flap remains controversial.

Recurrent head and neck arteriovenous malformations: A case report

Head and neck arteriovenous malformations are rare, congenital, and high-flow vascular malformations characterized by abnormal communication between feeding arteries and draining veins without intervening capillaries. Arteriovenous malformations are considered the most dangerous type of vascular malformation because progressive symptoms and infiltration can result in potentially life-threatening consequences. Left untreated, arteriovenous malformations can cause significant cosmetic deformities, severe bleeding, and high-output cardiac failure associated with arteriovenous shunting. The effective treatment of arteriovenous malformations located in the head and neck region is quite challenging due to high rates of recurrence and potentially lethal complications. We describe a case presenting with large arteriovenous malformations in the face and neck. Despite attempting several treatments, including external carotid artery ligation and embolization with liquid embolic agents, the patient continued to experience recurrence and symptoms of bleeding and pain. After admission, reconstructive plastic surgery was performed, supplemented by percutaneous direct puncture embolization, using glue injected into the venous and transarterial embolization. The patient was discharged with clinical recovery. Digital subtraction angiography remains the gold standard for assessing symptomatic and aggressive arteriovenous malformations, both before and after treatment. The treatment of head and neck arteriovenous malformations often requires a multidisciplinary approach to achieve the best clinical results.

AV Malformation Within Buccinator Muscle-A Unique Finding

Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are most commonly reported in the brain whereas in head and neck region they are rare i.e. incidence is 0.1% of the general population. Commonly managed by surgical excision, embolization, sclerotherapy. Here we present a case of 18-year-old female with AV malformation within buccinator muscle which was recurrent and was treated with compartmentalization followed by sclerotherapy and surgical excision.

Extracranial arteriovenous malformations demonstrate dysregulated TGF-β/BMP signaling and increased circulating TGF-β1

Extracranial arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are characterized by anomalous arterial-to-venous connections, aberrant angiogenesis, local inflammation and hypoxia, and disorganized histological architecture; however, the precise molecular perturbations leading to this phenotype remain elusive. We hypothesized that extracranial AVM tissue would demonstrate deregulation of the TGF-β/BMP signaling pathway, which may serve as a potential target in the development of molecular-based therapies for AVMs. AVM tissue was harvested during resection from 10 patients with AVMs and compared to control tissue. Blood was collected from 14 AVM patients and 10 patients without AVMs as controls. Expression of TGF-β/BMP pathway components was analyzed using RT-PCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. Circulating levels of TGF-β1 were analyzed by ELISA. Paired t tests were utilized to perform statistical analysis. The mRNA levels of TGF-β1, ALK1, Endoglin (ENG), Smad6, Smad7, and Smad8 were significantly elevated in AVM tissue when compared to controls. Protein levels of TGF-β1 and Smad3 were elevated in AVM tissue while protein levels of BMP-9, ALK1, Smad1, Smad6, and Smad8 were significantly decreased in AVMs. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated increased TGF-β1 in the perivascular cells of AVMs compared to normal controls, and circulating levels of TGF-β1 were significantly higher in AVM patients. Patients with AVMs demonstrate aberrant TGF-β/BMP expression in AVM tissue and blood compared to controls. Targeting aberrantly expressed components of the TGF-β/BMP pathway in extracranial AVMs may be a viable approach in the development of novel molecular therapies, and monitoring circulating TGF-β1 levels may be a useful indicator of treatment success.

Surgical management of vascular tumors and malformations of the head and neck in adults

Vascular tumors and malformations present a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to many physicians. Because these lesions are rare, few surgeons have enough experience with them other than those practicing in tertiary vascular anomaly treatment centers. Some patients may have been misdiagnosed or mistreated during childhood and present in adult age with either recurrence or with an untreated lesion. Ideally, a multidisciplinary treatment team should be involved to discuss management with the patient including specialists in surgery, interventional radiology, pathology, hematology, genetics, and dermatology. As our understanding of the pathogenesis of these lesions grows, novel therapies are being employed which may decrease the need for surgery. Nevertheless, some lesions need definitive treatment with surgery. Improving understanding of the surgical management of vascular anomalies will improve cosmetic and functional outcomes for patients.

Surgical management of auricular arteriovenous malformations: A literature review

Auricular arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) can cause a variety of symptoms that seriously impact the patient's appearance, life, and mental well‐being. Surgery is the primary management method for auricular AVMs, but there is no consensus on how to surgically manage auricular AVMs. In this article, we document a comprehensive review of the characteristics, classification, and surgical interventions to treat auricular AVMs.

Interventional Treatment Options in Children with Extracranial Vascular Malformations

Extracranial vascular malformations vary greatly and belong to the complex field of orphan diseases and can involve all segments of the vascular tree: arteries, capillaries, and veins, and similarly the lymphatic system. The classification according to the International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies (ISSVA) represents an important guidance for selecting appropriate therapy. Although many of the principles of endovascular treatment, including image-guided sclerotherapy and embolization, are similar in adult and pediatric practice, there are some distinct differences regarding the treatment of vascular malformations of children. Thus, it is crucial to involve longer-term plan about managing these chronic diseases and their impact on a growing child. This review provides a detailed overview over the clinical presentation of venous, lymphatic, and arteriovenous malformations in children and emphasizes the specifics of their interventional treatment options, including distinct pediatric dose limitations and procedure-related side effects.

Imaging of peripheral vascular malformations - current concepts and future perspectives

Vascular Malformations belong to the spectrum of orphan diseases and can involve all segments of the vascular tree: arteries, capillaries, and veins, and similarly the lymphatic vasculature. The classification according to the International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies (ISSVA) is of major importance to guide proper treatment. Imaging plays a crucial role to classify vascular malformations according to their dominant vessel type, anatomical extension, and flow pattern. Several imaging concepts including color-coded Duplex ultrasound/contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CDUS/CEUS), 4D computed tomography angiography (CTA), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including dynamic contrast-enhanced MR-angiography (DCE-MRA), and conventional arterial and venous angiography are established in the current clinical routine. Besides the very heterogenous phenotypes of vascular malformations, molecular and genetic profiling has recently offered an advanced understanding of the pathogenesis and progression of these lesions. As distinct molecular subtypes may be suitable for targeted therapies, capturing certain patterns by means of molecular imaging could enhance non-invasive diagnostics of vascular malformations. This review provides an overview of subtype-specific imaging and established imaging modalities, as well as future perspectives of novel functional and molecular imaging approaches. We highlight recent pioneering imaging studies including thermography, positron emission tomography (PET), and multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT), which have successfully targeted specific biomarkers of vascular malformations.

Contemporary Management of Vascular Anomalies of the Head and Neck-Part 1: Vascular Malformations: A Review

Importance

Vascular anomalies of the head and neck are relatively rare lesions. Management is challenging because of the high likelihood of involvement of functionally critical structures. Multiple modalities of treatment exist for vascular anomalies of the head and neck, including medical therapies, sclerotherapy and embolization procedures, and surgery. This review focuses on the accurate diagnosis and the relative roles of the various therapeutic options.

Observations

Vascular anomalies are classified by the International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies into 2 major groups: vascular tumors and vascular malformations. Vascular tumors encompass proliferative lesions ranging from infantile and congenital hemangiomas to kaposiform hemangioendothelioma. Alternatively, vascular malformations are embryologic errors in vasculogenesis. This article focuses on the management of vascular malformations. The 3 primary vascular malformation subclassifications are lymphatic, venous, and arteriovenous. The burden of disease, diagnosis, and current management options are discussed in detail for each subtype.

Conclusions and Relevance

Most vascular malformations of the head and neck require a multidisciplinary approach. Available medical, interventional radiologic, and surgical interventions are constantly evolving. Optimization of function and cosmesis must be balanced with minimization of treatment-associated morbidity. Otolaryngologists-head and neck surgeons must remain up to date regarding options for diagnosis and management of these lesions.

High Flow Scalp Arteriovenous Malformation: A Case Report

Scalp arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are abnormal vascular lesions, which can be managed effectively and safely with surgical or endovascular approaches. Here, we discuss a case of scalp AVM malformation in a 25-year-old female, in which due to the proximity of the feeder artery to right orbit, surgical excision was preferred and the AVM was excised with an uneventful post-op course.

Peripheral Arteriovenous Malformations-A Case Series

Context:

Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are aggressive vascular malformations that often result in significant morbidity. Patients may present to a dermatologist due to associated skin changes. Early diagnosis is important as treatment is available to halt their progression toward irreversible destruction of adjacent tissues.

Aims:

To study the clinical profile of peripheral AVMs presenting to the dermatologist and to provide a diagnostic algorithm.

Settings and Design:

A retrospective study of patients of all age groups with peripheral AVMs who presented to the Department of Dermatology at a tertiary care hospital in India was performed. Syndromic forms were also included.

Subjects and Methods:

We conducted a search of patients with peripheral AVMs, which were seen over a period of 51 months, i.e., from July 2014 to September 2018, from electronic medical records and reviewed their clinical details.

Statistical Analysis Used:

Descriptive statistics such as frequency, mean, and median were computed.

Results:

We report a series of 13 patients with peripheral AVMs, which constituted 6.7% (13/193) of all vascular malformations during this period. Of these, 8.3% (1/12) belonged to Schobinger's stage 1, 41.7% (5/12) to stage 2, 50% (6/12) to stage 3, and one with subcutaneous involvement devoid of cutaneous changes. The most common location was the extremities, which was seen in 53.8% (7/13). Syndromic association was present in 46.2% (6/13). Management included embolization, surgery, and medical treatment.

Conclusions:

The proportion of peripheral AVMs out of all vascular malformations was similar to reported studies. The extremities were more frequently involved as compared to the head and neck. The diagnostic algorithm provided will help us to optimize investigations and direct early management.

Extracranial arteriovenous malformations: from bedside to bench

Arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is defined as a fast-flow vascular anomaly that shunts blood from arteries directly to veins. This short circuit of blood flow contributes to progressive expansion of draining veins, resulting in ischaemia, tissue deformation and in some severe cases, congestive heart failure. Various medical interventions have been employed to treat AVM, however, management of which remains a huge challenge because of its high recurrence rate and lethal complications. Thus, understanding the underlying mechanisms of AVM development and progression will help direct discovery and a potential cure. Here, we summarize current findings in the field of extracranial AVMs with the aim to provide insight into their aetiology and molecular influences, in the hope to pave the way for future treatment.

Management of extracranial arteriovenous malformations of the head and neck

The purpose of this study was to review the outcomes of the different therapies for extracranial head and neck arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). AVMs are high-flow congenital vascular anomalies. They are composed of a complex system of vessels directly connecting feeding arteries to draining veins forming a nidus. They may be potentially life-threatening due to progressive symptoms and infiltrative disease. Extracranial AVMs most commonly affect the head and neck area (47.4%) followed by the extremities (28.5%). AVMs are best characterized as being either focal or diffuse. Focal AVMs have good outcomes following adequate treatment. Diffuse lesions have multiple feeding vessel, which results in high rates of recurrence despite treatment. The management of AVMs includes conventional surgery and endovascular techniques. A combination of embolization and surgical resection has become the treatment of choice over the last years. The main goal of both forms of treatment being the complete blockage or resection of the nidus. Transcatheter embolization of vessels has evolved over the years and new embolic agents have emerged. The types of materials available for embolization are classified into mechanical devices, liquid agents and particulates. Efficacy, rate of recurrence and most common complications were evaluated. AVMs recurrence after embolization or resection is reported in up to 80% of cases. Incomplete resection and embolization can induce aggressive growth of the remaining nidus and the risk of progression is up to 50% within the first 5 years and recurrences can occur up to 10 years later. Although ethanol seems to be associated with the highest degree of cure and permanent occlusion, the overall complication rate reported was 48%. Other materials, such as cyanoacrylate, have obtained modest rates of complete remission, while the reported rates of complete regression of AVMs with Fibrin glue and Polyvinyl alcohol are above 50%. At present, there are no unified agreement on the ideal embolic agent. Therefore, a multidisciplinary approach is recommended to support decision making about the best therapeutic approach and to achieve optimal outcome. A long-term post-treatment follow-up is recommended to recognize early recurrence.

The rare case of a large complex intraosseous cranial arteriovenous malformation with successful multidisciplinary management

Intraosseous cranial arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are very rare, challenging entities. The authors report the case of an extracranial parietooccipital vascular lesion. A 12-year-old boy presented with accelerated growth of a right scalp lesion over a few months. Digital subtraction angiography showed a large, right parietooccipital intraosseous AVM with multiple complex arterial feeders. Treatment of these lesions is difficult and can necessitate a multidisciplinary approach. In the featured case, 6 embolization procedures were performed over 1 year, including both transarterial and transvenous approaches, followed by total resection. The authors describe what is thought to be the second case of an AVM originating in the cranial bones and the first case with successful multidisciplinary management.

Elevated Expression of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 not Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 Contributes to Progression of Extracranial Arteriovenous Malformation

Extracranial arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are rare but dangerous congenital lesions arising from direct arterial-venous shunts without intervening capillaries. Progressive infiltration, expansion, and soft tissue destruction lead to bleeding, pain, debilitation and disfigurement. The pathophysiology of AVMs is not well understood. Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs) are thought to play an important role in pathologic processes underlying many diseases. This study investigates the expression of MMP-9 and MMP-2 in aggressive extracranial AVMs. The differential expression of MMP-9 and its regulatory factors is also examined. Herein we demonstrate that mRNA and protein expressions of MMP-9, but not MMP-2, are significantly higher in AVM tissues compared to normal tissues. The serum level of MMP-9, but not MMP-2, is also elevated in AVM patients compared to healthy controls. MMP-9/neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) complex is also significantly increased in AVM tissues. The MMP-9/ tissue inhibitor of metalloproteases-1 (TIMP-1) complex presents as a major form detected in normal tissues. The increased and aberrant expression of MMP-9 and specific MMP-9 forms may help explain the constitutive vascular remodeling and infiltrative nature of these lesions. Specific MMP-9 inhibitors would be a promising treatment for AVMs.

Interventional radiology in paediatric palliative care

Paediatric palliative care is a distinct subspecialty that offers treatment to children with many types of illness, including oncological, neurological and respiratory problems. Paediatric interventional radiologists can make a useful contribution to symptom management as part of a multidisciplinary team. Interventions for pain management include local ablation or other treatment of painful lesions, image-guided nerve blocks and the insertion of devices for the delivery of analgesic drugs. Various techniques are also available for the management of ascites, pleural effusions and other symptomatic complications of the underlying disease process.