Post-treatment Recovery in Orbital Arteriovenous Fistulas: A Systematic Review

Orbital arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) are rare vascular malformations that can cause severe ocular complications. This review evaluates the effectiveness of treatment strategies, focusing on post-treatment recovery and recurrence. A systematic review was conducted using PubMed and Scopus with no date restrictions. Studies were screened based on predefined criteria, and data on presentation, treatment, and outcomes were extracted. The quality assessment followed the CARE (CAse REport)and ROBINS-I (Risk of Bias In Non-randomised Studies of Interventions) guidelines. Fourteen studies were included. Transvenous embolization was the treatment with the highest success and low complication rates. Conservative treatment resulted in the disappearance of some fistulas; surgical and endovascular therapies were also combined for complex AVFs. Transvenous embolization is the preferred treatment method for orbital AVFs, although conservative management might also be sufficient in selected cases, with a multidisciplinary approach being required for complex fistulas.