Acute onset of spinal dural arteriovenous fistula and rapid progression to complete paraplegia: a case report and review of the literature

Abstract Background Spinal dural arteriovenous fistula usually has an insidious clinical course and is easily misdiagnosed. In some cases, acute exacerbation occurs following certain triggers, such as corticosteroid use and lumbar puncture. Here, we introduce a rare case of spinal dural arteriovenous fistula with acute onset, rapid progression, and no cause. Case presentation A 76-year-old Chinese male patient presented with numbness and weakness of the lower limbs that rapidly progressed to complete paralysis within 4 days. Patient was diagnosed with spinal dural arteriovenous fistula after magnetic resonance imaging and spinal vascular angiography, undergoing bilateral internal iliac artery embolization 2 weeks later, and started rehabilitation 40 days later but only received minimal improvement 1 year thereafter. Conclusion This case highlights that spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas cannot be excluded in acute-onset or rapidly progressing spinal cord lesions; such patients with severe neurological dysfunction may have a poor prognosis even after prompt surgical treatment.