Lifesaving successful embolization of aggressive vertebral body hemangioma and a large pulmonary arteriovenous malformation

Abstract

Vertebral hemangiomas are incidental finding and most of the time do not necessitate immediate attention unless symptomatic. Vertebral hemangiomas can be very aggressive to the extent that they can produce cord compression and paraplegia/paraparesis. Such cases need evaluation with magnetic resonance imaging to assess the cause, extent, and mass effect on the spinal cord. Transcatheter embolization and decompression surgery are well established modes of treatment as single or combined approach. Pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is caused by the direct communication of main pulmonary artery with pulmonary vein, leading to a high-flow right-to-left shunt. This usually presents clinically as hypoxia, cyanosis, and dyspnea. The clinical signs and symptoms vary depending on the size, number, and flow of fistula as well as the associated vascular malformations. Transcatheter embolization is a treatment of choice for pulmonary AVM. However, this method may result in incomplete resolution if the malformation is large in size or supplied by multiple feeding arteries. Surgical resection may be considered in those kinds of cases. As AVM can lead to hemodynamical instability, these lesions need to be addressed first. In this case, pulmonary AVM came to notice post surgical decompression. Here, we report a case of aggressive vertebral body hemangioma and a large pulmonary AVM in the same patient, which were treated by embolization in two different settings.

Keywords

• embolization
• pulmonary arteriovenous malformation
• vertebral hemangioma