title: Overview of the current role of endovascular and surgical treatment in spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas.
abstract: Dural arteriovenous fistulas are the most common vascular malformations of the spinal cord. These benign vascular lesions are considered straightforward targets of surgical treatment and possibly endovascular embolization, but the outcome in these cases depends mainly on the extent of clinical dysfunction at the time of the diagnosis. A timely diagnosis is an equally important factor, with early treatment regardless of the type more likely to yield significant improvements in neurological functioning. The outcomes after surgical and endovascular treatment are similar if complete obliteration of the fistulous site is obtained. In the present study, the authors evaluated the current role of each modality in the management of these interesting lesions.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery, Toronto Brain Vascular Malformation Study Group, University of Toronto, Canada. amirdehdashti@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Amir R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Dehdashti
authors.forename: Leodante B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Da Costa
authors.forename: Karel G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: terBrugge
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Willinsky
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tymianski
authors.forename: M Christopher
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Wallace
mesh_terms: D000792:Angiography; D020785:Central Nervous System Vascular Malformations / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000601:surgery; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome