[Classification and embolization of spinal cord arterial--venous malformation]

Spinal cord arterial-venous malformation (SCAVM) is a kind of rare disease only accounting for 2%-4% of all spinal diseases. This article reports 41 cases of SCAVM out of 300 times of spinal angiography. The recent classification indicates that out of the 41 cases of SCAVM there are 26 cases of intramedullary AVM. 5 cases of perimedulla AVF. 5 cases of spinal dural AVF. 3 cases of Cobb's syndrome and 2 cases of vertebral angioma. They were treated in three ways: embolization only, embolization plus operation and operation only. As a result, the 5 paralyzed patients (3 cases of Cobb's syndrome and 2 cases of vertebral angioma) recovered totally. The factors influencing satisfactory recovery after SCAVM treatment are as follows: (1) Pure steal flow as the main cause is cured. (2) Intravertebral venous hypertension is alleviated. (3) Intravertebral occupied lesion is solved. The factors for unsatisfactory recovery after SCAVM treatment are as follows: (1) The feeding artery and parenchymal artery are embolized. (2) Drainage vein is damaged or thrombosed. (3) Intramedullary hemomyelia and spinal cord is damaged. (4) There is prolonged ischemia and spinal cord atrophy.