|
A 32 year-old woman presented with the acute onset of severe neck pain followed by weakness of the left arm and both legs. |
| Spinal Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM):
Right Vertebral Angiogram; (Left) lateral view; (Right)
oblique view. Note the abnormal tangle of blood vessels arising form
the vertebral artery at the C1-C2 level. This is the spinal AVM, a
rare congenital malformation, and the
etiology of the patient's spinal subdural hematoma. Spinal cord vascular malformations may be acquired or congenital. They are malformations of blood vessels in or around the spinal cord, and may take on several forms, including arteriovenous malformations, dural arteriovenous fistulas, hemangiomas, cavernous angiomas, and aneurysms. The clinical presentation depends on whether the bleed (acute presentation) creates a vascular steal phenomena, resulting in chronic spinal cord ischemia, or enlarges and creates a defacto mass effect on the spinal cord, resulting in spinal cord compression. They are potentially treatable by neurosurgical decompression or endovascular procedures. |
Revised
11/18/06
Copyrighted 2006. David C Preston