Spinal arteriovenous fistulae with a concomitant cauda equina schwannoma.
BACKGROUND
Perimedullary spinal arteriovenous malformations or direct spinal arteriovenous fistulaes (AVFs) may be associated with other vascular abnormalities, such as arteriovenous malformations, venous ectasis, and aneurysms, but rarely have been reported with intraspinal intradural tumors.


OBJECTIVE
The authors present an interesting case of type IV-A spinal AVF concomitant with a cauda equina schwannoma.


METHODS
The diagnostic procedures and surgical outcome were described.


METHODS
The patient underwent surgery, the vessel feeding the AVFs was identified and cauterized, and the spinal tumor was removed. The fistula was small and located inside the tumor. The pathology revealed AVF and schwannoma, respectively.


RESULTS
After surgery, the patient's symptoms began to improve and subside. Two years after surgery, follow-up magnetic resonance imaging showed no vascular lesion and tumor in the spinal canal.


CONCLUSIONS
The association of spinal AVFs and cauda equina schwannoma has not been reported previously in any literature. The patient presents the symptoms of myelopathy associated with a spinal vascular lesion; it has to be noted that a concomitant and related intradural spinal tumor may exist.
Hung
Kuang-Chen
KC
Department of Neurological Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, No. 325, Sec 2, Cheng-Kung Rd, National Defense Medical Center, National Defense University, Neihu 114, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Chiang
Yung-Hsiao
YH
D001164:Arteriovenous Fistula / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002420:Cauda Equina / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D020336:Paraparesis, Spastic / Q000209:etiology; D010524:Peripheral Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D020728:Transurethral Resection of Prostate; D016055:Urinary Retention