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Updated: Jun 25, 2026
Comprehensive Endovascular and Open Surgical Management of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations
Published on: October 20, 2017
Endovascular treatment of brain arteriovenous malformations using onyx: results of a prospective, multicenter study
L Pierot1, A-C Januel, D Herbreteau
1Department of Radiology, hôpital Maison-Blanche, 45, rue Cognacq-Jay, 51092 Reims cedex, France. lpierot@gmail.com
Background And Purpose:
To evaluate the safety and efficacy of onyx for embolization of brain arteriovenous malformations (BAVM).
Methods:
A prospective, multicenter study was conducted in France to evaluate embolization of BAVM with onyx. From May 2003 to March 2005, 50 patients (26 females, 24 males; mean age: 34.8 years, range: 16-64years) were included. Clinical presentation was haemorrhage in 22 patients (44.0%), seizures in 16 patients (32.0%), headaches in six patients (12.0%) and progressive neurological deficit in two cases (4.0%). Four patients were asymptomatic (8.0%).
Results:
One hundred and forty-ninesessions of embolization were performed: one to eight sessions/patient with a mean of 3.0sessions. One hundred and sixteen sessions (77.9%) were performed with onyx, 20 sessions (13.4%) with glue and 13 sessions (8.7%) with onyx and glue. Symptomatic acute postembolization haemorrhage (APEH) was observed in four cases (8.0% per patient). At 1 month, morbidity and mortality related to the treatment were of 8% and 2%, respectively. Complete BAVM occlusion was obtained in 8.3% of cases. In the remaining cases, occlusion rate was between 99 and 80% in 56.3% of patients, 79 and 60% in 16.7%, and less than 60 in 18.7%. In case of incomplete occlusion, complementary treatment was performed by radiosurgery.
Conclusion:
Onyx is suitable for BAVM embolization with acceptable morbidity and mortality.
