Spinal arteriovenous malformation presenting with urinary retention

We present a case of a young female patient presenting predominantly with recurrent episodes of urinary retention. Extensive urological workup was unremarkable. There were some subtle and long-standing neurological findings which prompted us to investigate further with a spinal magnetic resonance imaging scan. The scan demonstrated a spinal arteriovenous malformation (AVM) beginning from the L4/L5 level to the S1/S2 level. Spinal AVM can be a rare cause of urinary retention, and we would like to highlight the importance of having that in the list of our differential when other more common causes have been excluded, and the patient remains symptomatic.