Treating spinal vascular malformations typically involves a combination of methods aimed at alleviating symptoms and minimizing the risk of potential complications. The treatment plan is customized based on various factors such as the size, location, and blood flow of the malformation, your neurological exam findings, and your overall health status.
The primary aim of treating spinal vascular malformations is to mitigate the risk of bleeding and halt or prevent the progression of disability and other symptoms. Given the close proximity of the malformation to the spinal cord, surgery for spinal vascular malformations is often a technically demanding and complex procedure.
Medication
Medications to relieve pain may be prescribed to manage symptoms like back discomfort and stiffness. However, many spinal vascular malformations might ultimately necessitate surgical intervention.
Surgery
Surgical removal of the malformation is sometimes required. There are three main surgical approaches. In this method, a surgeon makes an incision in the skin to remove the malformation, ensuring careful avoidance of the spinal cord and nearby regions. This approach is generally favored when the malformation is relatively small and situated in an easily accessible area of the spinal cord.
Endovascular Embolisation
This is a minimally invasive procedure, often used to reduce the risk of bleeding and other complications related to spinal vascular malformations. A catheter is inserted into an artery in the leg and navigated to the artery in the spinal cord supplying the malformation. Small particles of a glue-like substance are then injected to block the artery, hence reducing blood flow into the malformation. This procedure doesn’t permanently eliminate the malformation. Your doctor may suggest endovascular embolization before other types of surgery to lower the risk of bleeding during surgery or to shrink the malformation, making surgical removal more effective.
Radiosurgery
This treatment uses targeted radiation to destroy the malformation’s blood vessels. Over time, these vessels degenerate and close off. Radiosurgery is frequently employed to treat small, unruptured malformations.