Effect of prior embolization on outcomes after stereotactic radiosurgery for pediatric brain arteriovenous malformations: An international multicenter study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Pediatric brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are a significant cause of morbidity but the role of multimodal therapy in the treatment of these lesions is not well understood. OBJECTIVE: To compare the outcomes of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) with and without prior embolization for pediatric AVMs. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the International Radiosurgery Research Foundation pediatric AVM database. AVMs were categorized, based on use of pre-embolization (E + SRS) or lack thereof (SRS-only). Outcomes were compared in unadjusted and inverse probability weight (IPW)-adjusted models. Favorable outcome was defined as obliteration without post-SRS hemorrhage or permanent radiation-induced changes (RIC). RESULTS: The E + SRS and SRS-only cohorts comprised 91 and 448 patients, respectively. In unadjusted models, the SRS-only cohort had higher rates of obliteration (68.5% vs 43.3%,