Summary
Two cases of dural arteriovenous malformation (DAVM) fed by the anterior ethmoidal artery in the anterior cranial fossa are reported, one of them examined by magnet resonance imaging (MRI). Only one other case with MRI findings so far has been published. Fourty-eight previously reported cases are reviewed.
One of our patients presented with subdural haematoma (SDH) without subarachnoid or intracerebral haemorrhage. The other patient had a nasal bleed without any neurological manifestations. In comparison with previously reported cases, the clinical manifestation of our cases is infrequent (1 patient with nasal bleed, and 2 patients with pure SDH that is 2 and 4%, respectively, in the literature). Feeder was the anterior ethmoidal artery either unilateral or bilateral. Drainage of DAVMs was through a markedly dilated vascular sac into the superior sagittal sinus (SSS). The high incidence of haemorrhage from DAVM in the anterior fossa is related to this vascular sac. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a flow void area in the left frontal region on T 1-weighted images in one case.
These cases were treated by surgical excision of the malformation with good results. Aetiology, clinical presentation, and treatment of these rare DAVMs in the anterior cranial fossa is discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abumiya T, Kamiyama H, Murata J, Numomura M, Chono Y, Kobayashi N, Abe H, Saito H, Miyasaka K, Abe S (1987) Dural arteriovenous malformation with uncommon draining veins in the anterior fossa. Case report. Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo) 27: 1195–1200
Awas IA, Little JR, Akrawi WP, Jennifer A (1990) Intracranial dural arteriovenous malformations: factors predisposing to an aggressive neurological course. J Neurosurg 72: 839–850
Bitoh S, Nakagawa H, Arita N, Fujiwara M (1981) Dural arteriovenous malformation in the anterior fossa. Case report. Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo) 21: 131–134
Chandler Jr HC, Friedman WA (1993) Successful radiosurgical treatment of dural arteriovenous malformation. Case report. Neurosurgery 33: 139–142
Dardenne GH (1978) Dural arteriovenous anomaly fed by ethmoidal arteries. Surg Neurol 10: 384–388
Doyon D, Mertger J (1970) Malformations vasculaires isolees soustentorielles (a l'exclusion des fistules carotido-caverneuses). 9e Symposium de Neuroradiologie de Goteborg, 24 au 29.8.70
Driesen W, Elies W (1972) Über drei Fälle kranieller arteriovenöser Mißbildungen mit arterieller Versorgung aus der Arteria ethmoidea anterior. Neurochirurgie (Stuttg) 15: 178–181
Handa J, Shimizu Y (1973) Dural arteriovenous anomaly supplied by anterior falcine artery. Neuroradiology 6: 212–214
Halbach VV, Higashida RT, Hieshima GB, Wilson CB, Barnwell SL, Dowd CF (1990) Dural arteriovenous fistula supplied by ethmoidal arteries. Neurosurgery 26: 816–823
Hayashi T, Tokunaga T, Matsuo M (1986) Dural arteriovenous malformation in the anterior fossa with subarachnoid haemorrhage. Kurume Med J 33: 187–191
Houser OW, Campbell JK, Campbell RJ, Sundt TM (1979) Arteriovenous malformation affecting the transverse dural sinus. An acquired lesion. Mayo Clin Proc 54: 651–661
Ishimitsu H, Nishimoto K, Harada Y, Miyata I, Matsumi N, Namba S (1986) Dural arteriovenous malformation in the anterior cranial fossa. Case report. Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo) 26: 822–828
Ito J, Imamura H, Kobayashi H, Tsuchida T, Sato S (1983) Dural arteriovenous malformations of the base of the anterior cranial fossa. Neuroradiology 24: 149–154
Katayama Y, Tsubokawa T, Moriyasu N, Kotani A (1980) Dural arteriovenous malformation in the anterior cranial fossa. Neurol Surg 8: 1079–1085
Kidooka M, Nakasu S, Nakasu Y, Handa J (1982) Dural arteriovenous malformation in the anterior cranial fossa: report of a case. Arc Jpn Chir 6: 1040–1046
Kobayashi H, Hayashi M, Noguchi Y, Tsuji T, Handa Y, Caner HH(1988) Dural arteriovenous malformations in the anterior cranial fossa. Surg Neurol 30: 396–401
Koga H, Fuji K, Momosaki N, Kishikawa T (1987) Dural arteriovenous malformation in the anterior cranial fossa. Case report. Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo) 27: 144–149
Lasjaunias P, Chiu M, Brugge MT, Tolia A, Hurth M, Bernstein M (1986) Neurological manifestations of intracranial dural arteriovenous malformations. J Neurosurg 64: 724–730
Lasjaunias P, Halimi P, Lopez-Ibor L, Sichez JP, Hurth M, De Triolet N (1983) Traitement endovasculaire des malformations vasculaires durales (MVD) pures spontanees. Rev ue de 23 cas explores et traites entre main. 1980 et octobre 1983. Neurochirurgie 30: 207–223
Lepoire J, Montaut J, Bouchot M, Laxenaire M (1963) Aneurismes arterioveineux intrafrontaux vascularises par l'artere ethmoidale anterieure: a propos de trois observations. Neurochirurgia 9: 159–166
Newton TH, Cronqvist S (1969) Involvement of the dural arteries in intracranial arteriovenous malformations. Radiology 93: 1071–1078
Notari F, Casasco A, Mani J, Alachkar F, Theron J, Houteville JP, Toumi K (1988) Fistules durales ethmoidales anterieures. Trois nouvelles observations. J Radiol 69: 663–669
Okada T, Matsuda M, Handa J (1988) Association of cerebral aneurysm and dural arteriovenous malformation in the anterior cranial fossa: case report. Neurol Surg 16: 903–906
Picard L, Bracard S, Moret J, Per A, Giacobbe HL, Roland J (1987) Spontaneous dural arteriovenous fistula. Semin Intervent Radiol 4: 219–241
Pollock JA, Newton TH (1963) The anterior falx artery: normal and pathologic anatomy. Radiology 91: 1089–1095
Pradat P, Doyon D, Navarro-Artiles G, Raymond JP (1968) Anevrisme arterio-veineux sous-dural de la gouttiere olfactive. Neurochirurgia 14: 923–930
Tanaka K, Yonekawa Y, Miyake H (1991) Dural arteriovenous malformation in the anterior cranial fossa: report of a case. Surg Neurol 36: 221–225
Terada T, Kikuchi H, Karasawa J, Nagata I (1984) Intracerebral arteriovenous malformation fed by the anterior ethmoidal artery: case report. Neurosurgery 14: 578–582
Tiyawarabun S, Vonofukos P, Lorenz R (1986) Intracerebral arteriovenous malformation fed by both ethmoidal arteries. Surg Neurol 26: 375–382
Tokunaga T, Hayashi T, Shojimi K, Utsunomigi H, Matsuo M (1986) Dural arteriovenous malformation of the anterior fossa with subarachnoid hemorrhage. No Shinkei Geka 14: 1391–1395
Waga S, Fujimoto K, Morikawa A, Morooka Y, Okada M (1977) Dural arteriovenous malformation in the anterior fossa. Surg Neurol 8: 356–358
Winter A, Yeager H, Bastidas J (1974) Cerebral vascular hemorrhage. A new surgical approach. Vasc Surg 8: 95–106
Yamada T, Okuchi K, Tuji H, Morimoto E, Fujikawa A, Ko-nobu T, Miyamoto S (1993) A case of intracerebral AVM fed by the anterior ethmoidal artery. Neurol Surg 21: 459–462
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Başkaya, M.K., Suzuki, Y., Seki, Y. et al. Dural arteriovenous malformations in the anterior cranial fossa. Acta neurochir 129, 146–151 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01406494
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01406494