The role of surgery for high-grade intracranial dural arteriovenous fistulas: importance of obliteration of venous outflow

Abstract

The authors' experience emphasizes the importance of occluding venous outflow to obliterate intracranial DAVFs. Those that drain purely through leptomeningeal veins can be safely obliterated by surgically clipping the arterialized draining vein as it exits the dura. Radical excision of the fistula is not necessary.