Recurrence Rates Following Treatment of Spinal Vascular Malformations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background: Spinal vascular malformations (SVMs), including arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs), are a varied group of vascular lesions that can be subclassified according to localization, vascular structure, and hemodynamics. Early intervention is necessary to halt progression of disease and minimize irreversible dysfunction. We sought to characterize initial treatment success and recurrence rates following interventional treatment of various types of SVMs. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. SVMs were categorized into 4 groups: dural AVFs, perimedullary AVFs, intramedullary AVMs, and extradural-intradural AVMs (e.g., epidural, paraspinal). Initial occlusion, recurrence, and complication rates were compared using random-effects analysis. Results: There were 112 manuscripts included, with a total of 5626 patients with SVM. For treatment, 2735 patients underwent endovascular embolization, 2854 underwent surgical resection, and 37 underwent stereotactic radiosurgery. The initial treatment success and overall recurrence rates following surgical resection of all SVMs were 89.5% (95% CI: 80.5%–98.5%) and 2.3% (95% CI: 0.9%–3.7%), respectively. Those rates following endovascular embolization were 55.9% (95% CI: 30.3%–81.5%) and 27.7% (95% CI: 11.2%–44.2%), respectively. Higher rates of initial treatment success and lower rates of recurrence with surgery were observed in all subtypes compared to embolization. Overall complication rates were higher after embolization for each of the SVM categories. Conclusions: Surgical resection of SVMs provided higher rates of initial complete occlusion and lower rates of recurrence than endovascular techniques. Attaining technical success through obliteration must still be weighed against clinical impact and natural history of the specific vascular malformation.