A promising adjuvant to detachable coils for cavernous packing: onyx

Transvenous embolization of cavernous dural arteriovenous fistulae (CDAVFs) with Onyx has recently been reported. This study was undertaken to assess the value of Onyx in transvenous treatment of CDAVFs. We retrospectively reviewed 18 patients who underwent transvenous embolization for CDAVFs of Barrow Type D with detachable coils and Onyx at our institution over five years. Patients were divided into two groups: group A, patients who had been treated with detachable coils; group B, patients who had been treated with a combination of detachable coils and Onyx. The approach routes, angiographic results, complications and clinical outcome were assessed for both groups. Eighteen patients with CDAVFs of Barrow Type D were treated: nine women and nine men; mean age was 41.9 years. Eleven patients treated by 19 procedures of transvenous coiling belonged to group A. Seven patients treated by eight procedures of transvenous Onyx injection belonged to group B. The periprocedural complication rate associated with coiling for both groups was 18.2% vs 16.7% with Onyx. The duration of the procedure in both groups was 6.77-/+2.49 hours vs 3.75-/+1.63 hours with coiling vs Onyx, and the cost of Onyx was cheaper than coils. An excellent outcome was achieved in both groups: 90.9% vs 100% (group A vs group B). Our results associated with both modalities of CDAVFs treatment with clinical outcome show that transvenous embolization with Onyx is a safe alternative to detachable coils in the treatment of CDAVFs. However, more cases need to be evaluated.