[Treatment and prognosis of spinal AVM]

Spinal arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a relatively rare disease. We assessed the results of treatment of spinal AVM in 17 patients. Our classification was based on the radiographic appearance in selective spinal angiograms. There were 3 cases of single coiled type AVM, 3 of juvenile type, 5 of glomus type, and 6 of so-called dural AVM. All three patients with single coiled type AVM underwent microsurgical resection of the AVM. All three with the juvenile type underwent artificial embolization. Both patients with glomus type and dural AVM were treated by either embolization and/or surgery. Magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance angiography visualized the spinal AVM well, and were useful for diagnosis and post-treatment follow-up.