Dural arteriovenous malformation in the cervical spine presenting with subarachnoid hemorrhage: case report

Most spinal dural arteriovenous malformations are located in the thoracic and lumbar regions. The symptoms include pain, weakness, sensory disturbances, and sphincter dysfunction, which are usually gradual in onset. They are attributed to venous hypertension with a resultant ischemia of the cord, and hemorrhage from them is rare. The authors report an unusual case of a patient with a dural arteriovenous malformation in the cervical spine who was admitted with a sudden onset of severe headache and dysesthesia due to subarachnoid hemorrhage.