Endovascular therapy for intracranial dural arteriovenous fistulas

A retrospective study was conducted on 17 consecutive patients with DAVF admitted to Monash Medical Centre over 12 years. 15 patients, 82.4%, were treated by endovascular means with the intention to obliterate the fistula. Three of these patients also had surgery following embolisation. Angiographic cure was achieved when we have successfully embolised both the arterial and the venous side whether by penetration of liquid adhesive or packing with coils. Our cure rate of 60% (95% CI: 37-83%) compare favourably with published results of 50 to 70%. Our clinical complication rate is 1/15, 6%; and technical complication is1 from 32 embolisation sessions, 3.1%. Endovascular therapy is effective in achieving a durable angiographic and clinical cure in the treatment of intracranial DAVF. Both arterial and venous side need to be occluded.