Embolotherapy for High-Flow Arteriovenous Malformations in the Hands Using Absolute Ethanol with Coil-Assisted...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the management, outcomes, and technical and clinical safety of coil-assisted dominant outflow vein (DOV) occlusion for the ethanol embolization of high-flow arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) in the hands.

Between March 2013 and October 2016, 12 consecutive patients with AVMs with DOVs underwent ethanol embolization combined with detachable and pushable coil-assisted DOV occlusion. All patients completed the course of clinical follow-up (range: 14-57 months; mean: 36.7 months), and imaging follow-up (range: 8-25 months; mean: 16.6 months) results from the final treatment session were available for 8 patients. The therapeutic effects, degree of devascularization, and complications at the time of follow-up arteriography were evaluated as the clinical outcomes.

The patients underwent 23 ethanol embolization procedures (range: 1-3; mean, 1.9) with 24 detachable coils and 223 pushable coils. The average stretched length of the total coils per patient was 320.17 cm. Seven of 12 patients (58.3%) exhibited complete responses, and 5 patients (41.7%) exhibited partial responses. Minor complications, including blistering and focal swelling, occurred in all 12 patients (100%) but showed spontaneous and complete recovery. No major complications occurred.

Ethanol embolization has the potential to control high-flow hand AVMs by using coil-assisted DOV occlusion with an acceptable risk of minor and major complications.