2012 Volume 26 Issue 2 Pages 136-146
We have provided an outline of the management of spinal arteriovenous malformations (SAVMs) on the basis of their angioarchitecture. Owing to the rarity of SAVMs, so far, only a few sophisticated studies have described their clinical features. Spinal cord vasculature is phylogenetically “old” as compared to the “new” neopallial one, and discrepancies remain to be solved in the histological and hemodynamic aspects. The clinical features of SAVMs should not be presumed to be identical to cerebral arteriovenous malformations. One should adopt different therapeutic strategies for each SAVM case depending upon its pathophysiology. This article emphasizes that a precise understanding of the SAVM angioarchitecture is the most important factor for enabling an appropriate management strategy. Moreover, because of their complexity and rarity, the management of patients with SAVM may require close collaborations between neurosurgeons, spinal surgeons, radiologists, neurologists, and pediatricians.
