Traumatic arteriovenous fistula of the middle meningeal artery treated with selective coil embolization: A case report

Abstract

Dural arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) are reportedly induced by trauma. We report a rare case of traumatic AVF with a direct shunt from the middle meningeal artery (MMA) to the middle meningeal vein (MMV) and multiple drainage routes after head trauma. The patient was effectively treated with selective coil embolization alone without liquid embolic material. A 56-year-old woman was admitted to the emergency department with mild disturbance of consciousness caused by a head contusion after alcohol consumption. She exhibited impaired consciousness with a Glasgow coma scale score of 14 (E4V4M6), complained of headache, and presented with a hemorrhage in the left ear. Computed tomography suggested a skull fracture and cerebral hemorrhage. Magnetic resonance imaging conducted on the 4th day after the injury indicated shunt disease with a feeder in the right MMA. Cerebral angiography on the 7th day suggested a direct shunt from the right MMA to the MMV aligned with the temporal bone fracture line, with multiple drainage route perfusion. Coil embolization was performed on the 14th day to occlude the shunt point selectively. In the final image, the MMA was absent, and the MMV, superior sagittal sinus, or pterygoid plexus was not visible through the shunt. Her symptoms improved, and she was discharged on the 20th day and did not exhibit recurrence at the 1-year follow-up. AVF with a direct shunt from the MMA to MMV after head trauma can be effectively and safely treated with coil embolization alone, despite the need for long-term postoperative follow-up.