Exclusion treatment of ruptured and unruptured low-grade brain arteriovenous malformations: a systematic review

Maichael Talaat1,2, Kévin Premat3, Stéphanie Lenck3

  • 1Department of Interventional Neuroradiology, GRC BioFast, Sorbonne University, AP-HP, Pitié Salpêtrière - Charles Foix Hospital, 75013, Paris, France.

Neuroradiology
|September 25, 2021
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Exclusion treatment for low-grade brain arteriovenous malformations (BAVMs) shows high obliteration rates. This systematic review confirms that treatment is safe and effective, with low mortality and acceptable complication rates.

Area of Science:

  • Neurosurgery
  • Interventional Neurology
  • Radiology

Background:

  • Low-grade brain arteriovenous malformations (BAVMs), Spetzler-Martin grades 1 and 2, pose treatment challenges.
  • Assessing outcomes of exclusion treatment for BAVMs is crucial for clinical decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the obliteration rate, functional outcomes, and complication rates of exclusion treatment for low-grade BAVMs.
  • To analyze outcomes for both ruptured and unruptured BAVMs.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of electronic databases (Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed) for exclusion treatment of low-grade BAVMs.
  • Included studies utilized endovascular, surgical, radiosurgical, or multimodality approaches.
  • Primary outcome: angiographic obliteration; Secondary outcomes: functional outcome (mRS), mortality, hemorrhagic complications.

Main Results:

  • Eleven studies with 1809 patients (1790 analyzed) were included.
  • Overall complete obliteration rates ranged from 36.5% to 100%.
  • Symptomatic hemorrhagic complication rates were 0-7.3%; procedure-related mortality was 0-4.7%.

Conclusions:

  • Exclusion treatment for low-grade BAVMs demonstrates high obliteration rates.
  • Treatment is associated with low mortality and acceptable hemorrhagic complication rates.
  • Exclusion treatment appears safe and effective for low-grade BAVMs, irrespective of modality.