Influence of indocyanine green angiography on microsurgical treatment of spinal perimedullary arteriovenous fistulas.

OBJECTIVE: The microvascular anatomy of spinal perimedullary arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) is more complicated than that of dural AVFs, and occlusion rates of AVF after open microsurgery or endovascular embolization are lower in patients with perimedullary AVFs (29%-70%) than they are in those with dural AVF (97%-98%). Reports of intraoperative blood flow assessment using indocyanine green (ICG) video angiography in spinal arteriovenous lesions have mostly been for spinal dural AVFs. No detailed reports on spinal perimedullary AVFs are available.

METHODS: Participants were 11 patients with spinal perimedullary AVFs (Type IVa in 5 patients, Type VIb in 4, and Type IVc in 2). Intraoperative ICG video angiography was assessed by measuring the number of cases in which this modality was judged essential by the surgeon to correctly occlude the fistula.

RESULTS: In all patients, arterial feeders were identified and intravenous ICG video angiography was performed before and after blocking the feeders. In one patient, selective intraarterial ICG video angiography was also performed. The findings provided by ICG video angiography significantly changed the surgical procedure in 4 of 11 patients (36%). Postoperatively, complete occlusion of the AVF was achieved in 10 of the 11 patients (91%).

CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative ICG video angiography can have a significant impact on deciding surgical strategy in the microsurgical treatment of spinal perimedullary AVF.