Challenging dogma: report of a spinal cord arteriovenous malformation as an acquired lesion in a pediatric patient

• Published in: Journal of neurosurgery. Spine Vol. 32; no. 2; pp. 302 - 304
• Main Authors: Brinjikji, Waleed, Ahn, Edward S, Patterson, Marc C, Lanzino, Giuseppe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-02-2020
• Subjects: Arteriovenous Malformations - diagnosis; Arteriovenous Malformations - pathology; Arteriovenous Malformations - surgery; Child; Embolization, Therapeutic - methods; Female; Humans; Male; Spinal Cord - pathology; Spinal Cord - surgery; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult; cervical spine; AVF = arteriovenous fistula; AVM = arteriovenous malformation; SCAVM = spinal cord AVM; spinal angiography; spinal vascular malformation; congenital; vascular disorders; pediatric
• ISSN: 1547-5654; 1547-5646; 1547-5646
• DOI: 10.3171/2019.7.spine19253

Spinal cord intramedullary arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) have classically been considered congenital lesions that are present from birth. The reason for this dogmatic principal is the fact that a vast majority of these lesions present in pediatric and young adult patients. Interestingly, while many authors have demonstrated the development of de novo nidus-type brain AVMs, there have been no reported cases of a de novo intramedullary or perimedullary AVM of the spine. In this paper the authors describe what they believe to be the first reported case of a de novo AVM of the spinal cord in a young patient who underwent serial imaging from birth for evaluation of a syrinx. Potential pathophysiological mechanisms for the development of de novo vascular malformations of the spinal cord are discussed.