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Published on: October 20, 2017
Retrograde transvenous ethanol embolization of high-flow peripheral arteriovenous malformations
Edwin van der Linden1, Jary M van Baalen, Peter M T Pattynama
1Department of Radiology, Medical Center Haaglanden, Den Haag, The Netherlands. e.van.der.linden@mchaaglanden.nl
Purpose:
To report the clinical efficiency and complications in patients treated with retrograde transvenous ethanol embolization of high-flow peripheral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Retrograde transvenous ethanol embolization of high-flow AVMs is a technique that can be used to treat AVMs with a dominant outflow vein whenever conventional interventional procedures have proved insufficient.
Methods:
This is a retrospective study of the clinical effectiveness and complications of retrograde embolization in five patients who had previously undergone multiple arterial embolization procedures without clinical success.
Results:
Clinical outcomes were good in all patients but were achieved at the cost of serious, although transient, complications in three patients.
Conclusion:
Retrograde transvenous ethanol embolization is a highly effective therapy for high-flow AVMs. However, because of the high complication rate, it should be reserved as a last resort, to be used after conventional treatment options have failed.
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