A 72-year-old male patient from Kolkata was successfully treated by Dr. Nirup Datta, a consultant neurosurgeon at Manipal Hospitals Dhakuria, for a dural arteriovenous fistula (AVF), one of the rarest and potentially fatal vascular conditions of the brain. This condition can be considered one of the rare instances of successful treatment, with an incidence as low as 15–20 cases per 10 million people.

Mr. Ravi Roy (name changed), who had never had diabetes or hypertension, suddenly started bleeding. If left untreated, the condition—which is frequently linked to trauma—can result in serious consequences like brain damage, vision loss, or even death.

“We discovered an abnormally high number of aberrant vascular connections during the intricate surgical procedure. In most cases, there is only one feeder vessel, but in this patient, we discovered eight or nine feeders. This represents only 0.14% of all vascular disorders, making it one of the rarest and most serious. The patient’s life was saved by prompt intervention,” said Dr. Nirup Datta.

Although there are other treatment options, such as glue embolization or endovascular coiling, they can be very costly. In this instance, the surgical team chose total excision to ensure successful treatment.

Mr. Roy is recovering from his surgery and should eventually resume a life that is almost normal. According to Dr. Prakhar Gyanesh, a consultant in neuro-anesthesia, he can speak steadily and slowly, and most significantly, there is no chance of recurrence.

Priyanka Dutta