Evaluation and Treatment of Patients Spinal Blood Vessel Abnormalities

Evaluation and Treatment of Patients With Spinal Vascular Abnormalities

Arteriovenous malformations (AVM) are abnormally formed blood vessels that can be located throughout the brain and spinal cord. Patients with abnormalities of the blood vessels located in and around the spinal cord can develop many neurological problems. Some problems include, weakness, pain, difficulty walking, paralysis, and even death.

The treatment for these AVMs depends on their location, the type of malformation, the area of the spine involved, and the condition of the patient at the time of treatment. The treatment is aimed at stopping the neurologic problems from worsening and possibly correcting the existing problems. There are two commonly used treatments for AVMs, surgery and embolization (blocking off of blood flow to the AVM).

However, researchers have limited experience treating these conditions because they are rare. In addition, it has been difficult to classify different kinds of AVMs and to develop new treatments for them.

This study is designed to increase researchers understanding of AVMs by admitting and following patients diagnosed with the condition. By increasing the amount of patients studied diagnosed with spinal blood vessel abnormalities, researchers can begin to develop new management plans for patients with AVMs.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

Spinal Arteriovenous Malformations are rare lesions that frequently effect young patients and adults in their most productive years. They cause progressive myelopathy, ultimately causing paraplegia or quadriplegia if untreated. Because they are rare lesions, experience with treating them in sufficient numbers to permit classification of them, investigation of the pathophysiology of myelopathy, and the introduction of new techniques for treatment has been possible in only a very few centers in this country. One essential element of investigation of them is selective spinal arteriography. Since selective spinal arteriography was first introduced for these lesions here at the NIH in the mid 1960's by Drs. John Doppman and Giovanni DiChiro, the NIH has been such a center of expertise for patients with spinal arteriovenous malformations. Because of this, NIH has been, and is, a national referral center for these patients. However, there has never been an approved protocol at the NIH for investigation or treatment of these patients. The purpose of this proposal is to present a plan of investigation and treatment which will serve as a protocol under which to admit these patients and to permit continued accrual of clinical experience with them that will serve to guide others in the management of these patients.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment

120

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • Maryland
      • Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892
        • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

4 years and older (Child, Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

  • INCLUSION CRITERIA:

Adult greater than or equal to 18 years with known or suspected spinal AVM and capacity to provide written informed consent.

Child ages 4-18 with known or suspected spinal AVM and with parent/guardian informed consent.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

Unable to tolerate MRI and/or spinal arteriography.

Child less than 4 years.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

June 2, 1993

Study Completion

December 10, 2007

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 3, 1999

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 3, 1999

First Posted (Estimate)

November 4, 1999

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 2, 2017

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 30, 2017

Last Verified

December 10, 2007

More Information

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Arteriovenous Fistula

3
Subscribe