Microsurgery for Unruptured Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations in the National Inpatient Sample is More Common Post-ARUBA

Lee A. Birnbaum, Matthew Straight, Sheetal Hegde, John V. Lacci, Mateja de Leonni Stanonik, Justin R. Mascitelli, Cameron M. McDougall, Jean Louis R. Caron

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: The ARUBA trial (A Randomized Trial of Unruptured Brain Arteriovenous Malformations) was the first randomized control trial to investigate unruptured cerebral arteriovenous malformation (cAVM) treatments and concluded that medical management was superior to interventional therapy for the treatment of unruptured cAVMs. This conclusion generated considerable controversy and was followed by rebuttals and meta-analyses of the ARUBA methodology and results. We sought to determine whether the ARUBA results altered treatment trends of cAVMs within the United States. Methods: Using the National Inpatient Sample, the largest all-payer inpatient care database within the United States, we isolated patients who were admitted on an elective basis for cAVM treatment and determined the treatment modality undergone by these patients. The cohort was dichotomized separately at 2 ARUBA time points: the European Stroke Conference presentation in May 2013, and The Lancet publication in February 2014. Results: We found that the overall treatment rate of unruptured cAVMs decreased after both time points. However, the rate of surgical excision alone, relative to other modalities, was significantly increased, and endovascular intervention demonstrated a nonsignificant decrease. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the ARUBA trial has influenced unruptured cAVM treatment patterns within the United States. Although the overall treatment rate has decreased, unruptured cAVMs, when treated post-ARUBA, are most commonly approached with surgical excision alone.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)e343-e346
JournalWorld neurosurgery
Volume137
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2020

Keywords

  • ARUBA trial
  • Cerebral arteriovenous malformations
  • Endovascular procedures
  • National Inpatient Sample
  • Neurosurgical procedures
  • Radiosurgery

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Clinical Neurology
  • Surgery

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Microsurgery for Unruptured Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations in the National Inpatient Sample is More Common Post-ARUBA'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this