Advanced

AJNR - American Journal of Neuroradiology

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Moo, L. R. Articles by Hart, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Moo, L. R. Articles by Hart, J.

American Journal of Neuroradiology 23:416-421, March 2002
© 2002 American Society of Neuroradiology

INTERVENTIONAL

Tailored Cognitive Testing with Provocative Amobarbital Injection Preceding AVM Embolization

Lauren R. Moo^a, Kieran J. Murphy^b, Philippe Gailloud^b, Mark Tesoro^a and John Hart^a

^a Department of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD
^b Department of Radiology, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD

Address reprint requests to Lauren R. Moo, MD, Department of Neurology, Meyer 100, 600 N Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21287

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Transarterial embolization of cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) has been associated with postprocedural neurologic complications in 7–39% of patients. We sought to determine whether a method of targeted neurologic and cognitive testing during AVM embolization reduces the incidence of focal cognitive and other neurologic deficits associated with the procedure.

METHODS: A cognitive neurologist extensively examined 12 patients prior to AVM embolization. In each patient, a battery of tests tailored to their specific abilities was developed by using stimuli selected from standard and experimental cognitive tests to probe specific brain regions related to the location of the AVM. In each feeder vessel to be embolized, a 50-mg bolus of sodium amobarbital was superselectively administered through a microcatheter; this was followed immediately by neurologic and cognitive testing with the tailored battery. After testing, the position of the microcatheter tip was checked with fluoroscopy. If the provocative test results were negative, the evaluated feeder was embolized with N-butyl cyanoacrylate glue.

RESULTS: Although results with 27 of 29 provocative amobarbital injections were negative, results with two injections in two different individuals revealed cognitive deficits during tailored provocative testing. In both, the evoked deficits resolved with dissipation of the amobarbital effect; the feeder vessels were not embolized. Neurologic and cognitive evaluation after each of 27 embolizations revealed no major or minor deficits.

CONCLUSION: In our experience, provocative amobarbital testing prior to AVM embolization was helpful in identifying vascular territories where embolization may lead to neurologic and cognitive deficits.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M.V. Jayaraman, M.L. Marcellus, S. Hamilton, H.M. Do, D. Campbell, S.D. Chang, G.K. Steinberg, and M.P. Marks Neurologic Complications of Arteriovenous Malformation Embolization Using Liquid Embolic Agents AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., February 1, 2008; 29(2): 242 - 246. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]