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    Appendix B: Other relevant studies

    Other potentially relevant studies that were not included in the main evidence summary (tables 2 and 3) are listed in table 5 below.

    Table 5 additional studies identifiedStudy

    Number of people and follow up

    Direction of conclusions

    Reason study was not included in main evidence summary

    Orscelik, A., Senol, Y.C. et al. (2024) Endovascular embolization of cerebrospinal fluid-venous fistula: a comprehensive systematic review on its efficacy and safety for the management of spontaneous intracranial hypotension. Neurosurgical Review47(1), p.28

    Systematic review

    N=9 studies, 77 people

    Suggests endovascular embolisation is a safe and effective treatment; larger prospective studies are needed to validate initial findings

    Deprioritised due to availability of a systematic review and meta-analysis with a larger sample size. 4 out of 5 included studies had sample size less than 5.

    Orscelik A, Cutsforth-Gregory JK et al. (2024) Endovascular embolization techniques for cerebrospinal fluid-venous fistula in the treatment of spontaneous intracranial hypotension. Radiologic Clinics,62(2):345-54.

    Review

    N=7 studies

    Suggests the treatment to be effective with low complication rates but requires careful patient selection and multidisciplinary collaboration between health professionals for successful management of CVFs; prospective and multicenter studies required to confirm its safety and efficacy.

    Deprioritised due to the availability of a systematic review and meta-analysis with a larger sample size.

    Houk JL, Dennison JV et al. (2022) Spontaneous intracranial hypotension: a review of pathogenesis, presentation, diagnosis, and treatment. Advances in Clinical Radiology, 4(1): 231-41.

    Narrative review

    Suggests comprehensive understanding of the pathophysiology of SIH and imaging characteristics for accurate diagnosis and precise localisation of underlying spinal pathology.

    Deprioritised due to review presented overview of SIH and available treatment including transvenous embolisation.

    Brinjikji W, Savastano LE et al (2021) A novel endovascular therapy for CSF hypotension secondary to CSF-venous fistulas. American Journal of Neuroradiology, 42(5):882-7.

    Case series

    N=5 people

    Follow-up = 3 months

    3 had complete resolution of SIH related symptoms. One had persistent tinnitus.

    Deprioritised due to the study having small sample size and availability of new evidence from same centre with a larger sample which is included in main evidence summary.

    Brinjikji W, Garza I et al. (2022) Clinical and imaging outcomes of cerebrospinal fluid-venous fistula embolization. Journal of neurointerventional,14(10):953-6.

    Retrospective studies

    N=40 people

    Follow-up: 3 months

    Transvenous embolisation resulted in clinical and radiographic improvement in 90% with no permanent complication; further studies required to validate the technique and assess long term durability of the treatment.

    Deprioritised due to availability of new evidence from same centre with a larger sample which is included in main evidence summary.

    Ellens NR, Schartz D et al (2023) Efficacy of transvenous embolization of CSF-venous fistula in spontaneous intracranial hypotension: case-series. Interventional Neuroradiology,15910199231221449.

    Case series

    N=6 people

    Follow up=3 months

    3 out of 6 people had complete resolution of symptoms; further studies required to assess long term durability of the treatment.

    Deprioritised due to small sample size.

    Jesse CM, Schär RT, Petutschnigg T, et al (2024) Improvement of health-related quality of life after closure of spinal CSF leaks in patient with spontaneous intracranial hypotension. Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, 41(3):452-8.

    Prospective cohort study

    N=21 people

    Follow up=3 months

    Transvenous embolisation or microsurgery can enhance health-related quality of life (HRQOL), patients' subjective health perception, and headache severity.

    Top of Form

    Bottom of Form

    Deprioritised due to the study including only 6 people who were managed by transvenous embolisation, the evidence presented in the study does not distinguish which outcomes are attributed to microsurgery and which are the result of embolisation.

    Noufal M, Liang CW et al (2022) Transvenous embolization for cerebrospinal fluid-venous fistula. A case series from a single community-academic center. World Neurosurgery, 168:e613-20.

    Case series

    N=5 people

    Follow-up= 8 months

    Transvenous embolisation seems safe and effective in short term; RCT would would help standardise care and evaluate long-term outcomes for CSF-venous fistula

    Deprioritised due to small sample size.

    McRae-Posani B, Kim A et al (2025). Spinal CSF Leaks in Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension: A Single-Institution Analysis of Incidence, Typology and Treatment Outcomes. Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery, 108978.

    Retrospective

    N=32 people

    Targeted endovascular or surgical approaches are more likely to provide definitive treatment than epidural blood patches.

    People treated with epidural blood patches as first line of treatment) and 10 people with treatment failure had transvenous embolisation.