Purpose or Case Report: Spinal arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are rare vascular lesions within the spinal cord with incidence rates as low as 300 cases per year (Patchana 2020). They are associated with significant neurologic morbidity and are characterized by abnormal connections between arteries and veins, either bypassing the capillary system or passing through a dysplastic capillary bed. Using the Takai classification system, spinal AVMs can be classified into 5 types based on their shunt location. Type 2 spinal AVM, the intradural intramedullary glomus AVM, is typically seen within the thoracolumbar spinal cord and diagnosed in the third decade (Greenberg 2010, Patchana 2020). It is usually treated with resection and/or embolization, with recurrence rates reported as low as 2.3% and 27.7% for resection and embolization respectively (Mamaril-Davis 2023).

Our patient is a 17-year-old male with a history of C4-C7 AVM status post embolization and partial resection, who was post-operatively asymptomatic for 10 years. He initially presented with left upper extremity paresthesia after exercise. His symptoms progressed to bilateral lower extremity paresthesia and upper extremity hyperreflexia and clonus. Labs and vitals were unremarkable. Neurosurgery was consulted and MRI and MRA cervical spine with and without contrast were ordered to further evaluate symptoms. Findings were consistent with: recurrent C3-C4 left-sided type 2 spinal AVM with adjacent dilated vascular channels along the dorsal and ventral aspects of the spinal cord, C3-C4 cord expansion, and C2-C4 cord edema. There was no evidence of intra-nidal aneurysm or hemorrhage within the limitations of non-gradient sequences. Feeding arteries were difficult to identify but likely originated from adjacent left radicular or vertebral artery branches.

Although spinal AVM recurrence is incredibly uncommon after treatment, especially after surgical resection, it should always remain on the differential for patients with contributory history and new onset neurologic symptoms. This case reminds us that type 2 spinal AVMs can occur anywhere along the spinal cord and can manifest at any age. MRI and MRA sequences are best equipped to assess the extent of disease, and additional gradient sequences may be obtained if there is concern for hemorrhage.
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