Abstract

The artery of Desproges-Gotteron is rarely mentioned in the literature and is unfamiliar to most neurosurgeons. The authors report a unique case of an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) of the conus in an adult woman, which received blood supply from an artery of Desproges-Gotteron. The patient presented with intermittent pain radiating down the right posterior thigh and foot and transient bladder incontinence. On examination, there was weakness of the right lower limb with hypalgesia of the plantar aspect of the right foot. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a mass near the anterior aspect of the conus medullaris and angiography confirmed a spinal AVM at the L-1 level and a shunt located at the inferior L-3 level. The patient underwent transarterial embolization, and at 2-year follow-up, repeat angiography demonstrated no evidence of residual or recurrent spinal AVM, intermittent and tolerable pain without treatment interventions, and a normal neurological examination. The artery of Desproges-Gotteron appears to be a rare arterial variation. Moreover, the authors believe this to be the first case of a conal AVM supplied by such an artery. The anatomy and implications of such an arterial variant are discussed.

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