title: Cavernous hemangioma of the spinal cord - conservative or operative management?
abstract: Once believed to be extremely uncommon, due to magnetic resonance imaging cavernous hemangiomas of the spinal cord are detected with increasing frequency. Management of both symptomatic and asymptomatic intramedullary cavernous hamangiomas is therefore of growing importance. However, experience with treatment and follow-up is very limited. In particular, patients with multiple central nervous system cavernous hemangiomas represent a therapeutical dilemma. We present a patient with a ruptured intramedullary and multiple cerebral cavernous hemangiomas and a survey of current knowledge of epidemiology, pathophysiology and treatment options. We conclude that the benefit of operative treatment possibly decreases with the number of clinically silent vascular malformations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Rigshospitalet University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark. daniel_kondziella@yahoo.com
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kondziella
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brodersen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Laursen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hansen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D020786:Hemangioma, Cavernous, Central Nervous System / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000592:standards; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012008:Recurrence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*