title: Symptomatic spinal cavernous malformations: indication for microsurgical treatment and outcome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We demonstrate clinical features, therapy and outcome of 14 patients with symptomatic spinal cavernous malformations (CM).
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent microsurgical treatment of symptomatic spinal CM during the last decade in our department through an analysis of our database.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We analyzed the data of 14 patients (11 females, 3 males) with symptomatic spinal CM in a range of 16-77 years (mean age 47.8 years). Seven patients (50%) experienced significant improvement of their symptoms rapidly after surgery. The remaining seven patients presented new non pre-existing complaints, which improved gradually with a favourable outcome at the last follow-up examination in six cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Microsurgical treatment under perioperative electrophysiological monitoring is justified to prevent severe neurofunctional deterioration in symptomatic spinal CM. Although some of the patients deteriorate after surgery, the symptoms are rapidly declining with a favourable outcome in majority of them.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Klinik für Neurochirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Straße 3, 24105 Kiel, Germany. h.maslehaty@gmx.de
authors.forename: Homajoun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maslehaty
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Barth
authors.forename: Athanassios K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Petridis
authors.forename: Alexandros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Doukas
authors.forename: Hubertus Maximilian
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Mehdorn
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D020786:Hemangioma, Cavernous, Central Nervous System / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult