Reversible dementia due to dural arteriovenous fistula: a simple surgical option.

Dural AVMs can produce a wide variety of symptoms related to raised intracranial pressure, venous congestion, and cerebral ischaemia. We present a unique case of reversible dementia, due to venous hypertension. The cerebral ischaemia was caused by extensive bilateral arteriovenous malformations of the external carotid system, which drained into the superior sagittal and transverse sinuses and resulted in venous hypertension. Although partial occlusion by endovascular embolization and ligation procedures had some effect, only 'scalping and silastic implantation' gave satisfactory amelioration of symptoms.