Diffuse neurofibroma of the head and neck are rare tumours which have unique clinical and radiological findings. Presurgical diagnosis is important as these lesions are usually highly vascular and pre-operative embolisation can reduce the risk of intra-operative haemorrhage. In this article we describe four cases; two which underwent pre-operative embolisation, which should aid the reader in successfully diagnosing this entity before biopsy/surgery.

Peri-medullary arteriovenous fistula (PMAVF) is a rare spinal vascular malformation that manifests as progressive neurologic deficits or hemorrhage in the spinal canal. We report a case of high-flow PMAVF in a child, with a single feeder artery and a large venous pouch, which was successfully treated with transarterial endovascular intervention. A 2-year-old boy was referred with a progressive 2-year history of myelopathy. The MRI revealed a large venous pouch at the midthoracic spinal cord with segmental surrounding edema. A spinal angiogram confirmed high-flow PMAVF with a single feeder artery from the anterior radiculomedullary artery, draining into the peri-medullary vein. The patient underwent transarterial embolization at the distal feeder artery, resulting in gradual motor strength improvement. PMAVF is classified as type IV spinal vascular malformation, usually presenting as a large, high-flow fistula with multiple feeders, although there was only one in this case. PMAVFs are intradural and may cause severe neurologic deficits due to mass effect, venous congestion, or hemorrhage, hence requiring prompt treatment. Treatment options for PMAVF include microsurgery, endovascular intervention, or a combination of the 2. Endovascular intervention with coil or liquid embolic material is considered first-line treatment for IVc PMAVF, and effective in type IVb with good clinical outcome. PMAVF is a rare spinal vascular malformation commonly manifesting as severe neurologic deficits but has the potential of favorable outcomes with endovascular therapy. This case demonstrates a unique angioarchitecture of high-flow PMAVF with a single feeder artery and large venous pouch, treated successfully with endovascular therapy.

BACKGROUND: Trans-radial (TRA) access has become increasingly prevalent in neurointervention. Nonetheless, mediastinal hematoma after TRA is an infrequent yet grave complication associated with a notably elevated mortality rate. While our review found no reported mediastinal hematoma cases managed conservatively within neuro-interventional literature, similar complications are documented in cardiac and vascular interventional radiology, indicating its potential occurrence across disciplines.
METHODS: Carotid computed tomography angiography (CTA) showed calcified plaques with stenosis (Left: Severe, Right: Moderate) in the bilateral internal carotid arteries (ICAs) of an 81-year-old male presented with paroxysmal weakness in the right upper limb. Dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel was administered. On day 7, DSA of the bilateral ICAs was performed via TRA. Post-DSA, the patient experienced transient loss of consciousness, chest tightness, and other symptoms without ECG or MRI abnormalities. Hemoglobin level decreased from 110 g/L to 92 g/L. Iodinated contrast-induced laryngeal edema was suspected, and the patient was treated with intravenous methylprednisolone. Neck CT indicated a possible mediastinal hemorrhage, which chest CTA confirmed. The patient\'s treatment plan involved discontinuing antiplatelet medication as a precautionary measure against the potential occurrence of an ischemic stroke instead of the utilization of a covered stent graft and surgical intervention. Serial CTs revealed hematoma absorption. Discharge CT showed a reduced hematoma volume of 35 × 45 mm.
CONCLUSIONS: This case underscores the need for timely identification and precise manipulation of guidewires and guide-catheters through trans-radial access. The critical components of successful neuro-interventional techniques include timely examination, rapid identification, proper therapy, and diligent monitoring.

Brain arteriovenous malformations (AVM) present complex treatment decisions, particularly for low-grade AVM where surgical resection is often considered the standard. This case report emphasizes the importance of patient preferences and cultural considerations in selecting endovascular embolization over traditional surgical approaches for Spetzler-Martin Grade I AVM management, highlighting the evolving practice of patient-centered care in neurointervention. A 30-year-old male presented with recurrent seizures, characterized by a sudden onset of headache followed by speech arrest, without any preceding medical history of neurological deficits. Initial physical examination revealed no focal neurological deficits. Non-contrast computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and magnetic resonance angiography suggested an AVM involving the cortical-subcortical regions of the left frontal lobe, measuring approximately 1.7 × 2.6 × 1.5 cm, fed by the left middle cerebral artery M3 segment, and draining into the superior sagittal sinus. Spetzler-Martin Grade I classification was confirmed via digital subtraction angiography. Given the patient\'s strong preference against invasive procedures, driven by personal and cultural beliefs, endovascular embolization was selected as the treatment strategy. Post-embolization, the patient showed marked symptomatic improvement with no evidence of residual AVM on follow-up imaging, and no postprocedure complications were reported. This case highlights the importance of considering patient preferences in AVM treatment planning, illustrating that endovascular embolization can be an effective and less invasive alternative to surgery in selected patients, reinforcing the need for personalized, patient-centered approaches in neurointerventional care.

BACKGROUND: A carotid-cavernous fistula is an abnormal communication between the arteries and veins within the cavernous sinus. While conservative management may be prudent in low risk cases, many patients require intervention and endovascular embolization has evolved as the preferred method of treatment. Embolization can be performed via either the transarterial or transvenous approach. One major challenge of the transvenous approach is the complex and variable compartmentation of the cavernous sinus, which often requires the use of low profile microcatheters to navigate and reach the fistulous point. Fibered coils are also preferred when performing transvenous embolization of carotid-cavernous fistula, as they are of higher thrombogenicity and allow for faster occlusion of the fistula. However, most low profile (0.017-inch) microcatheters are not able to deploy fibered coils based on the manufacturer\'s instructions.
METHODS: We present two successful cases of off-label use of Medtronic Concerto fibered coils via a 0.017-inch microcatheter during transvenous embolization of carotid-cavernous fistula in a 60-year-old and an 80-year-old Chinese female, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: Our case series highlight the possibility of deploying large diameter (up to 10 mm) Concerto fibered coils through a low profile (0.017-inch) microcatheter in an off-label manner for transvenous embolization of indirect carotid-cavernous fistula.

Basilar artery (BA) occlusions are rare causes of ischemic strokes but can lead to devastating consequences if not addressed immediately. Herein, we discuss a case of an ischemic stroke due to near occlusion of the basilar artery with a good outcome due to timely presentation and intervention.

The first step in endovascular treatment is the stable placement of a guide catheter (GC) into the target parent vessel. However, sufficient GC stabilization is sometimes difficult to obtain when the approach route has severe tortuosity. Here, we report our experience with and the usefulness of the 8 French (Fr) Newton-shaped Neuro-EBU vascular catheter (SILUX Co., Ltd., Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan), which is rigid over its entire length except near the tip, in a case series of 21 patients. Of the 21 cases, 19 cases were successfully treated using the Neuro-EBU. The 8 Fr Newton-shaped Neuro-EBU might be useful both as a special GC and as a wire exchange catheter when placement of the conventional GC is difficult due to severe tortuosity of the access route. Although rarely used, the Neuro-EBU catheter can serve as a practical alternative when the access route is challenging. To the best of our knowledge, there are no detailed reports on the technical use of the Newton-shaped vascular catheter in the field of neurointervention. We present the usefulness of the specially shaped 8 Fr guide catheter.

OBJECTIVE: Dural arteriovenous fistulas (dAVF) account for approximately 10-15% of all intracranial arteriovenous abnormalities. dAVFs carry a significant risk of mortality, particularly in cases of acute hemorrhage, of up to 10%. A small proportion of these dAVFs are found in the anterior cranial fossa (ACF), of which the rate of hemorrhage can be as high as up to 91%. The Scepter Mini (SM) is the smallest dual-lumen micro-balloon (MB) available for neurointerventional practice. It consists of a 2.8 French outer diameter, with a 2.2 mm × 9 mm semi-compliant balloon providing a working length of 165 cm. The SM is navigated with a 0.008-inch wire making it a particularly attractive tool accessible to the pedicles normally reached with liquid embolization micro-catheters.
METHODS: Five consecutive patients over a 1-year period between 2020 and 2021 were evaluated and treated for ACF dAVF using a liquid embolization approach using the SM balloon. All patients were treated using ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), of which Squid 18 and/or Squid 12 were the chosen viscosities. Control angiograms were performed for all patients post-embolization.
RESULTS: All patients demonstrated complete occlusion of the ACF dAVF on immediate post-treatment angiography. No immediate complications were encountered; particularly, there were no reports of visual field deficit in any of the patients.
CONCLUSIONS: The MB is a valuable adjunctive tool that can enhance the safety and efficacy of trans-ophthalmic embolization of ACF dAVFs, providing additional protection to the retinal and posterior ciliary arteries against unwanted reflux of liquid embolic agent.

BACKGROUND: The transradial approach (TRA) for endovascular procedures has become a frequent practice in neurointervention. Advantages of the TRA include less access-site complications, early ambulation, and less postprocedural pain. The Rist 079 radial access guide catheter (Medtronic) is the first device designed specifically for neurointerventions performed through the TRA. In this study, we report our initial experience with the Rist catheter in a variety of neurointerventional procedures, aiming to evaluate the performance of this device and discuss its limitations.
METHODS: A prospectively maintained database was retrospectively searched to identify patients who underwent procedures using the Rist catheter. Information on demographics, procedural details, and complications was recorded.
RESULTS: Seventy-eight patients were included in the study, with a mean age of 60.3 years (range, 25-92 years); 45 (57.7%) were men. The interventional or diagnostic procedure was successfully completed in 77 patients (98.7%). The radial artery was the primary access-site choice in 71 patients (91%). The most frequent type of procedures performed were coiling or stent-assisted coiling (16.7%) and angioplasty and stenting (16.7%), followed by middle meningeal artery embolization (14.1%). Crossover to femoral artery access while maintaining use of the Rist was done in 5 cases (6.4%). Reasons for access or procedural failure included anatomical anomaly of the target vessel, unfavorable geometry of the great vessels, and proximal tortuosity of the supra-aortic vessels.
CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated a high success rate with use of the Rist catheter system for a variety of procedures.

UNASSIGNED: The classic triad of fat embolism syndrome consists of pulmonary distress, mental status change, and petechial rash. Typically, symptoms manifest 24-48 hours after a long bone fracture, but case reports have demonstrated fat embolism syndrome without long bone fracture. These cases are initiated by a stress response, mobilizing free fatty acids into the circulation.
UNASSIGNED: Herein, we present the case of a 70-year-old male who presented with the left-sided hemiparesis and was subsequently found to have tandem lesions of the right internal carotid artery (ICA) and right middle cerebral artery (MCA) warranting emergent mechanical thrombectomy (MT). The ensuing pathology report determined the source of ischemic stroke to be caused by fat embolism, a rare and intriguing case of cryptogenic large vessel occlusion (LVO) with unique features distinguishing it from other reports in the literature.
UNASSIGNED: According to the biochemical theory, a catecholamine surge can precipitate fat globules forming in the circulatory system, leading to tissue hypoxia, injury, and ischemia. While the majority of cerebral fat emboli cause reversible ischemia of small diameter vessels, our case presents with LVO and tandem lesions in both the ICA and MCA resulting in infarct and residual hemiparesis.