Clinical and angioarchitectural factors influencing the endovascular approach to galenic dural arteriovenous fistulas in adults: case series and review of the literature

Background Galenic dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVF) are rare; however, they are the most frequent type of DAVF to manifest aggressive clinical behavior and usually represent a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for clinicians. Methods We retrospectively reviewed clinical and imaging data of patients managed with neuroendovascular techniques for the treatment of galenic DAVFs from 2000 to 2016. We searched the 2000–2016 English-language literature for papers discussing neuroendovascular management of galenic DAVFs, with or without companion surgical procedures. Results Five patients were treated for galenic DAVFs during the study period (four males; mean age, 61 years). Three presented with progressive neurological deterioration due to venous congestion, two with acute intracranial hemorrhage. Three were treated by staged transarterial embolization procedures (three procedures in two, four procedures in one); two underwent a single transvenous embolization procedure. Four out of five fistulas were completely occluded. All patients improved clinically; the patient whose fistula was partially occluded remains angiographically stable at 2-year follow-up. Six reports describing 17 patients are reviewed. Embolization was performed via transvenous approach in 1/17 and transarterial approach in 16/17 with additional open surgery in 9/16. The trend toward the use of transarterial approaches is based primarily on advances on embolization techniques that allow better and more controllable penetration of the embolizing agents with improved clinical and angiographic results, as well as the technical complexity of the transvenous approach. Conclusions Although transarterial embolization is the preferred endovascular route for the management of most galenic DAVFs, selected cases can be successfully treated by transvenous approach.