title: Cranial nerve cavernous malformations causing trigeminal neuralgia and chiasmal apoplexy: Report of 2 cases and review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cavernous malformations (CMs) confined to the cranial nerves (CN) are extremely rare lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors report 2 cases of CMs, one involving the trigeminal nerve presenting with a 3 years history of a refractory right trigeminal neuralgia that was microsurgically resected by a retromastoid approach with resolution of the neuralgia; and another CM involving the chiasma with an abrupt onset of vision loss with acute intralesional bleeding that was removed through a right pterional approach with vision improvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgical resection is recommended in the context of progressive significant neurological deficit, emergency decompression as a result of recent hemorrhage for symptomatic relief or increase in size on serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital de Braga, Sete Fontes, São Victor, 4710-243 Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Nuno Miguel
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Pereira de Morais
authors.forename: António Lino Rodrigues
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Mascarenhas
authors.forename: João Paulo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Soares-Fernandes
authors.forename: José António
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Moreira da Costa
keywords: Cavernous malformation; chiasma; chiasmal apoplexy; cranial nerve; trigeminal nerve; trigeminal neuralgia