A patient undergoing external carotid artery therapeutic embolization for obliteration of a dural arteriovenous malformation suddenly developed a large occipital artery to vertebral artery shunt. A devastating stroke was averted because the appearance of the shunt was observed by fluoroscopy, the embolization was stopped, and the shunt verified on a subsequent angiogram. The risk of external carotid artery embolization without constant fluoroscopic control is emphasized.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Spetzler et al. (1980) studied this question.