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Dural arteriovenous fistulas can lead to catastrophic intracranial hemorrhage if left untreated. Transvenous embolization can cure arteriovenous fistulas, but preserving normal venous structures can be challenging. Inadvertent embolization of a functioning vein can result in catastrophic venous infarction or hemorrhage. Here, we report a case using balloon-assistance to facilitate preservation of the superior petrosal sinus during transvenous embolization of a sigmoid sinus dural arteriovenous fistula.

We describe a patient with Borden type II transverse-sigmoid dural arteriovenous fistula. On the venous phase of the left vertebral artery injection, there was no superior petrosal veins and sinus on the side of lesion. After transvenous balloon-assisted Onyx embolisation, the patient developed extensive venous infarction from venous occlusion. This report calls attention to a highly unusual variant in which the superior petrosal veins and sinus are absent, and the cerebellar veins will be drained by tributaries of the bridging veins in this circumstance. In such circumstances, occlusion of the bridging vein on the tentorial cerebellar surface may lead to complications during transverse-sigmoid dural arteriovenous fistula embolisation.

Introduction Multiple ways to access the dural carotid cavernous fistula have been described. The aim of the present study was to assess the results of embolization of a dural carotid cavernous fistula via different routes using endovascular accesses as a first-line strategy. Methods A retrospective data analysis of a consecutive series of 63 patients presenting with dural carotid cavernous fistula was performed. Results The dural carotid cavernous fistula was accessed by an endovascular approach in 58 patients (92.1%) and by direct puncture in five patients (7.9%). The inferior petrosal sinus was the main route accessed (65%). A recanalization of an occluded inferior petrosal sinus was obtained in 20.6% of cases. The access via either facial ophthalmic veins or the superior petrosal sinus was obtained in 20.6% and 3.1% of cases, respectively. Complete angiographic occlusion of a dural carotid cavernous fistula immediately after treatment was achieved in 53 patients (84.1%), whereas 10 patients (15.9%) displayed a partial occlusion. Treatment-related complications were observed in two patients (3.2%). Conclusions In this study, the endovascular approach allowed dural carotid cavernous fistula embolization in most patients. The inferior petrosal sinus, even when thrombosed, was the main route used to access the dural carotid cavernous fistula, followed by the facial vein, direct cavernous sinus puncture, and the superior petrosal sinus.

We describe a patient with traumatic carotid-cavernous fistula (CCF), subsequently developing contralateral extensive hemorrhagic venous infarction from retrograde venous reflux into the opposite basal vein of Rosenthal. A 54-year-old woman was involved in a motor vehicle accident and sustained severe traumatic brain injury. Two months later, she developed bilateral proptosis and audible bruit. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of the brain demonstrated the right direct CCF. Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images showed a small hyperintense area at the left basal ganglia. Ten days later, she developed right-sided grade 2/5 hemiparesis, facial upper motor neuron weakness, and cognitive impairment. Follow-up MRI showed significant progression of hyperintensities involving the left-sided centrum semiovale, basal ganglia, thalamus, midbrain, pons, cerebellum, basal frontal, temporal lobes, especially subcortical white matter on FLAIR images, and multiple hypointense foci of hemorrhagic component on T2*-weighted gradient-echo images, representing hemorrhagic venous infarction. While waiting for embolization, she rapidly developed right hemiplegia and aphasia, and became somnolent. Under general anesthesia, emergency endovascular treatment was performed successfully to obliterate the fistula without surgical intervention. Five months after endovascular treatment, MRI and MRA confirmed no residual fistula and revealed nearly complete resolution of abnormal increased signal intensity. In the present case, the factors related to the presence of this rare condition were absence of the ipsilateral basal vein of Rosenthal (BVR), occlusion of posterior segment of the contralateral superior petrosal sinus, and a developed uncal vein with hypoplastic second and third segments of the contralateral BVR.

Background While technological advances have improved the efficacy of endovascular techniques for tentorial dural arteriovenous fistulae (DAVF), superior petrosal sinus (SPS) DAVF with dominant internal carotid artery (ICA) supply frequently require surgical intervention to achieve a definitive cure. Methods To compare the angiographic and clinical outcomes of endovascular and surgical interventions in patients with SPS DAVF, the records of all patients with tentorial DAVF from August 2010 to November 2015 were reviewed. Results Within this cohort, eight patients with nine SPS DAVF were eligible for evaluation. Five DAVF were initially treated with endovascular embolization, while four underwent surgical occlusion without embolization. Of the SPS DAVF treated with embolization, two (40%) remained occluded on follow-up, while the remaining three (60%) persisted/recurred and required surgical intervention for definitive closure. Of the four SPS DAVF treated with primary surgical occlusion, all four (100%) remained closed on follow-up. In addition, of the three SPS DAVF that persisted/recurred following embolization and required subsequent surgical closure, all three (100%) remained occluded on follow-up. Two (100%) SPS DAVF that were successfully treated with embolization had major or minor external carotid artery supply, while the three (100%) persistent lesions had major ICA supply via the meningohypophyseal trunk (MHT). Three (75%) of the four SPS DAVF treated with primary surgical occlusion had dominant MHT supply. Conclusion Complete endovascular closure of SPS DAVF with dominant ICA supply via the MHT may be difficult to achieve, while upfront surgical intervention is associated with a high rate of complete occlusion.

Aneurysmal rupture of the intra-cavernous carotid artery may cause idiopathic carotid-cavernous fistula (CCF), and the treatment choice for occluding shunting fistula in this type of CCF is an endovascular approach using detachable balloons. However, little has been reported on treating such lesions with the intra-aneurysmal embolization using Guglielmi detachable coils (GDCs). To our knowledge, ours is the first reported case of successful treatment by selective intra-fistula and intra-aneurysmal embolization with GDCs. A 74-year-old woman exhibited proptosis and chemosis of her left eye over a period of one month. Symptoms of double vision in conversion and pulsatile murmur in her left eye were also noted. Angiography revealed an intra-cavernous aneurysm of the left internal carotid artery (ICA) with a shunting fistula, which drained into the dilated cavernous sinus, superior orbital vein (SOV), superior petrosal sinus, inferior petrosal sinus, and pterygoid plexus. We thought the fistula would occlude by intra-aneurysmal embolization, but we had no confidence of tight packing of the aneurysm since the aneurismal neck was relatively wide. So, we embolized the venous side of the shunting fistula and then the dome of the aneurysm with GDCs. Immediately after the operation, her symptoms and signs were ameliorated, and complete occlusion of the CCF was observed on long-term follow-up. We suggest selective intra-fistula and intra-aneurysmal embolization with GDCs as an alternative method of treatment of idiopathic CCF originating from aneurysmal rupture of the intra-cavernous carotid artery.

The embryonic tentorial sinus usually regressses during postnatal development, but its typical prenatal drainage patterns and intradural anastomoses can be depicted as various developmental phenotypic representations. Here, we tried to clarify the variant types of the superficial middle cerebral vein (SMCV) associated with the embryonic tentorial sinus. Total 41 patients and 82 hemispheres were included in this study. CT angiography was performed in all patients as screening for cerebrovascular disease or other intracranial disorders. A separate workstation and 3D software were used to evaluate the cranial venous systems with 3D volume rendering techniques, thin-slice MIP images, and MPR techniques for the analysis of its complicated angioarchitecture. Variations of the SMCV were classified according to the developmental alterations of the embryonic tentorial sinus, including sphenoparietal sinus (cranial remnant of tentorial sinus), basal sinus (floor of middle cranial fossa), petrosal and caudal remnant of the tentorial sinus. Secondary intradural anastomoses of cavernous and superior petrosal sinuses were also evaluated for the efferent pathways. The most frequent type of remnant tentorial sinus, sphenoparietal sinus was present in 49% (40/82) of hemispheres examined. Other regressed patterns of embryonic tentorial sinus were also identified in 38% (31/82): nine caudal remnant type around the transverse sinus, 12 petrosal type, one basal type, five unclassified cases, and mixed type were found in four cases. Secondary intradural cavernous sinus anastomosis was seen in 44% (36/82), however the most prevalent pattern was no anastomosis (46/82) with cavernous sinus. Only one case of superior petrosal sinus anastomosis was found in this series associated with basal sinus type. Anatomic variations of SMCV can be clearly demonstrated with embryologic aspects of the tentorial sinus according to its developmental regression and postnatal secondary adaptations of cerebral venous drainage.