Retrievable stent technique and coil embolization of high-flow iatrogenic cervical vertebral arteriovenous fistula: technical note

Vertebral Arteriovenous Fistula: A Review Article

OBJECTIVE

Vertebrovertebral fistulas (VVFs) are uncommon lesions that can arise spontaneously or secondarily to iatrogenic or mechanical trauma. We performed a systematic review of the literature to obtain information regarding demographics, clinical presentation, treatment modalities, outcome, and complications associated with treatment.

METHODS

A literature search was performed by a reference librarian and after screening, 128 case reports and 16 case series were left for inclusion in the review. All possible data were abstracted by 3 authors, results were tabulated, and descriptive statistics (mean, range, and proportions) were reported. No formal statistical analysis was performed as part of this study.

RESULTS

A total of 280 patients were analyzed. VVFs can be categorized in 3 subgroups (iatrogenic, spontaneous, and traumatic), based on the mechanism of formation, and these different causes share different underlying demographics that bear important treatment considerations. Traumatic VVFs are more commonly seen in young men; the spontaneous form is more commonly seen in young women. Iatrogenic VVFs are more commonly seen in elderly people. Spontaneous VVFs are most commonly located between C1 and C2. Most iatrogenic (n = 39; 57%), spontaneous (n = 106; 82%), and traumatic (n = 53; 73%) VVFs were treated with deconstructive (defined as occlusion of fistula and feeding vessels) endovascular therapy. Overall treatment-related permanent morbidity was 3.3% (9/270) and mortality was 1.5% (4/270).

CONCLUSIONS

VVFs are uncommon lesions, and treatment is often indicated, even in patients without retrograde venous drainage. When treatment is undertaken, the cause of presentation and associated patient demographics should be considered when planning the treatment strategy.

Endovascular Repair of an Inadvertent Right Vertebral Artery Rupture during Dialysis Catheter Insertion

Central venous (CV) catheterization is not only an invaluable diagnostic modality but also an essential therapeutic tool for the treating physician, enabling rapid and reliable intravenous administration of drugs and fluids, providing venous access to patients undergoing long-term continuous or repeated intravenous treatment such as chemotherapy, or it can be used for hemodialysis in patients suffering from acute or chronic renal disease. On the other hand, CV catheterization can lead to a wide range of life-threatening complications for the patient especially if left untreated or become late-diagnosed. In particular, arterial injuries are among the most feared complications that require early clinical suspicion for prompt diagnosis and management. We report the case of a 79-year-old female dialysis patient who suffered from a vertebral artery (VA) injury complicated by a herald bleeding on the third postintervention day after an internal jugular vein dialysis catheter replacement. The patient initially presented neurological signs of a stroke and urgently treated endovascularly after immediate diagnosis of VA rupture was made. Imaging techniques are evidence-based tools that help minimize these mechanical complications, including inadvertent arterial puncture and therefore should be practiced and taught in training programs to avoid the potentially devastating consequences of CV catheterization.