Venous angiomas with arteriovenous shunts: report of three cases and review of the literature

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: In spite of recent recognition of the benign nature of venous angioma (VA), only limited information is available on the clinical features of VA with arteriovenous shunt (AVS). The purpose of this study was to elucidate the clinical profile of VA with AVS. CLINICAL PRESENTATION AND INTERVENTION: We describe three patients having a VA with AVS and review the clinical features of 31 patients reported in the literature, including our three patients. The patients included 12 women and 19 men, ranging in age from 18 to 54 years. Seven patients (22.6%) presented with intracranial hemorrhage, and none of 16 patients developed a new or recurrent hemorrhage (mean follow-up period, 11 months). Treatment was conservative in 14 patients, lobectomy or partial resection of the VA in 6, removal of hematoma in 4, operation only for coexisting aneurysm or arteriovenous malformation in 4, and not known in 3. The outcome was reported as good recovery in 19 patients, persistent neurological deficits in 2, death or deterioration not related to the VA in 3, and not known in 7. CONCLUSION: Although there remains some uncertainty as to the clinical features of VA with AVS, its prognosis seems to be essentially as benign as that of VA without AVS. Thus, conservative treatment is recommend except for patients with a large hematoma or with a coexisting arteriovenous malformation or a symptomatic, accessible cavernous angioma, which may be treated by surgical intervention. Further collection of data is required to establish definite treatment guidelines.