Endovascular Treatment With Targeted Embolization of Cavernous Sinus Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas: A Single-Center Study

Abstract

Objective: To assess the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of targeted embolization for cavernous sinus dural arteriovenous fistulas (CSDAVF).

Materials and methods: This retrospective study investigated patients with CSDAVF who underwent endovascular treatment at a tertiary hospital between October 1991 and March 2023. Treatment strategies were determined based on clinical symptoms and shunt characteristics. Targeted or non-targeted curative embolization was performed to achieve complete shunt occlusion. Initially, targeted embolization, selective occlusion of the shunted pouch while preserving the normal cavernous sinus lumen, was conducted, should that fail, non-targeted embolization was performed. In contrast, palliative embolization solely reduced shunt flow. Clinical signs, imaging characteristics, and outcomes were evaluated according to the agreed treatment strategy.

Results: In total, 198 patients with CSDAVF (mean age 59.0 ± 12.1 years, 23.2% male) participated in this study. Of which, 94 patients (47.5%) were treated with targeted embolization, 75 (37.9%) with non-targeted embolization, and 29 (14.6%) with palliative treatment. For patients undergoing curative embolization, 55.7% (94/169) successfully achieved targeted embolization; this procedure was usually used to treat focal fistulas (restrictive or late-restrictive types), whereas diffuse fistulas (proliferative type) often underwent non-targeted or palliative embolization. For patients that underwent targeted embolization, the rate of complete or near-complete occlusion on immediate post-treatment digital subtraction angiography was 93.6% (88/94), with a complication rate of 2.1% (2/94), symptom improvement rate of 96.8% (91/94), and retreatment rate of 5.3% (5/94). No serious complications were reported during follow-up.

Conclusion: When successful, targeted embolization of CSDAVF causes low rates of cranial nerve palsy, retreatment, and good clinical outcomes.

Keywords: Cavernous sinus; Dural arteriovenous fistula; Endovascular treatment; Targeted embolization.