Clinical characteristics and endovascular treatment for spinal dural arteriovenous fistula in Japan: Japanese registry of neuroendovascular therapy 2 and 3

A subgroup analysis of spinal vascular lesions registered in the Japanese Registry of Neuroendovascular Therapy 2 (JR-NET2) and JR-NET3 was performed. About 172 analyzable cases of spinal dural arteriovenous fistula (SDAVF) were assessed, including the characteristics, treatment strategy, and treatment outcome. SDAVF was more common in middle-aged and older males. The most commonly affected area was the thoracolumbosacral region (83.7%), and most cases had a non-hemorrhagic onset (89.0%). Complete obliteration was achieved in 54.7%. Treatment-related complications occurred in three patients (7.0%). Post-treatment neurological improvement was achieved in 48.3%. The primary endpoint [modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0–2 on postoperative day 30] was achieved in 60.5% of the cases. As a new discovery, the incidence of cervical SDAVF increased from 1.8% in JR-NET2 to 19.7% in JR-NET3. Compared with non-cervical SDAVF, cervical SDAVF was characterized by a higher proportion of hemorrhagic onset (P <0.01), incomplete obliteration of the shunt (P <0.01), and embolization-related complications (P = 0.01). Overall, a mRS of 0–2 on postoperative day 30 was correlated with a pre-treatment mRS of 0–2 (P <0.01) in a univariate analysis. Complete obliteration of the shunt was the only predictor of postoperative neurological improvement (P = 0.001) in a multivariate analysis. Endovascular treatment for SDAVF has been safely administered in Japan. The incidence of cervical SDAVF, which has more aggressive features, appears to be increasing. Early diagnosis and complete obliteration of the shunt are important for improving the treatment outcomes of patients with SDAVF.