title: Spinal dural arteriovenous fistula presenting with paraplegia following lumbar puncture.
abstract: Spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas are rare lesions with an annual incidence of 1 per 100,000 population. In patients with this disease, an abnormal vascular dural shunt exists between a dural branch of a segmental artery and a subdural radicular vein that drains the perimedullary venous system, leading to venous hypertension and secondary congestive myelopathy. Generally, patients present with progressive paraparesis, urinary disturbances, and gait ataxia. In this report the authors describe a 61-year-old woman with a spinal dural arteriovenous fistula who developed an acute paraplegia after a nontraumatic lumbar puncture. The possible underlying mechanisms and treatment options are discussed.
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Cliniques Universitaires St-Luc, Brussels, Belgium. guus.koerts@uclouvain.be
authors: Guus
authors: G
authors: Koerts
authors: Vincent
authors: V
authors: Vanthuyne
authors: Maxime
authors: M
authors: Delavallee
authors: Herbert
authors: H
authors: Rooijakkers
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Raftopoulos
mesh_terms: D000792:Angiography; D020785:Central Nervous System Vascular Malformations / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy / Q000379:methods*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000209:etiology; D020335:Paraparesis / Q000209:etiology; D013129:Spinal Puncture / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*