Functional prognosis after treatment of spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas

We statistically evaluated the functional outcome after surgery or embolization therapy of 43 patients with spinal dural arteriovenous fistula including 10 patients of our own and 33 previously reported cases in the literature. This study prompted us to consider that a patient under 70 years old who is treated within 2 years 6 months after the onset of symptoms and whose gait or urinary disturbance is slight or moderate without absence of deep tendon reflexes in the lower extremities is expected to get a good functional prognosis after treatment.