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Comprehensive Endovascular and Open Surgical Management of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations
Published on: October 20, 2017
Interventional management of high-flow vascular malformations
Robert J Rosen1, Naiem Nassiri, Jennifer E Drury
1Interventional Radiology and Endovascular Surgery, Lenox Hill Heart and Vascular Institute, New York, NY, USA. rrosen2@nshs.edu
Insights
Interventional radiology treats high-flow vascular malformations with surgery or embolization. This review details embolization techniques for optimal long-term results in over 2000 patients.
Area of Science:
- Interventional Radiology
- Vascular Surgery
Background:
- High-flow vascular malformations present significant clinical challenges.
- Optimal management requires understanding lesion types, natural history, diagnostics, and treatment options.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review principles and techniques of embolization for high-flow vascular malformations.
- To emphasize lessons learned from extensive clinical experience.
Main Methods:
- Review of surgical, embolization, laser, and pharmacotherapy options.
- Focus on embolization techniques, including direct puncture and transcatheter approaches.
- Analysis of outcomes from treating over 2000 patients across 30 years.
Main Results:
- Surgery is indicated for completely resectable or bulky lesions.
- Embolization targets the lesion's nidus using various embolic agents.
- Extensive experience informs best practices in embolization.
Conclusions:
- Embolization is a key treatment modality for high-flow vascular malformations.
- A comprehensive understanding of treatment options is crucial for optimal patient outcomes.
- Long-term success depends on appropriate patient selection and technique.
Abstract:
High-flow vascular malformations are among the most challenging lesions in the field of interventional radiology. For an optimal long-term result, the clinician must have a full understanding of the types of lesions, their natural history, appropriate diagnostic studies, indications for treatment, and all the treatment options, including surgery, embolization, laser, and pharmacotherapy. Surgery should, in general, be used primarily for lesions that are completely resectable or are so bulky that embolization would not provide a satisfactory result. Embolization techniques are directed at elimination of the nidus of the lesion, using a variety of penetrating embolic agents both by direct puncture and transcatheter approaches. This paper reviews the principles and techniques primarily involving embolization for lesions occurring in various parts of the body, emphasizing the lessons learned in treating more than 2000 patients over a 30-year period.
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