Intracranial capillary hemangioma: case report and review of the literature.
BACKGROUND
Capillary hemangiomas are benign vascular lesions that commonly present at birth or in early infancy on the face, scalp, back, or chest. The authors present an exceedingly rare case of an intracranial capillary hemangioma arising in an adult. Only 4 biopsy-proven cases have been reported in the pediatric population previous to this case report.


METHODS
A 31-year-old pregnant woman presented at 38 weeks of gestation with severe headaches, nausea, and vomiting. Imaging revealed an extra-axial mass lesion arising from the tentorium with both supra- and infratentorial components. The patient underwent a resection of her tumor, which was diagnosed as a capillary hemangioma by histopathologic examination. The patient required 2 further resections after the lesion exhibited a rapid regrowth from residual tumor in the left transverse sinus. The patient has remained free of disease 41 months out from her third surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Intracranial capillary hemangiomas are exceedingly rare entities, with a capability for rapid growth. When gross total resection cannot be achieved, these patients should be observed closely, and the use of adjuvant radiotherapy should be considered.
Simon
Scott L
SL
Department of Neurosurgery, The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. ssimonpa@yahoo.com
Moonis
Gul
G
Judkins
Alexander R
AR
Scobie
Janice
J
Burnett
Mark G
MG
Riina
Howard A
HA
Judy
Kevin D
KD
D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D018324:Hemangioma, Capillary / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011252:Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome