title: Upper thoracic intradural-extramedullary cavernous malformation presenting as subarachnoid hemorrhage without spinal dysfunction: a case report and review of the literature.
abstract: A 45-year-old man had subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) which was confirmed by lumbar puncture, since it was negative on head computed tomography. The result of neurological examination was normal. Following pan-cerebral angiography and cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) failed to find out the cause of bleeding. The whole spinal MRI revealed an intradural-extramedullary mass lesion at the upper thoracic level which was consistent with cavernous malformation after surgery. When patients presented with SAH of no spinal symptoms, the diagnosis of an intradural-extramedullary cavernous malformation is challenging. A whole spinal workup should be considered in a patient with spontaneous SAH when bleeding from intracranial origin is carefully excluded.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University , Chengdu, Sichuan , P. R. China.
authors.forename: Chuan-Yuan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Yue-Kang
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: You
mesh_terms: D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D020785:Central Nervous System Vascular Malformations / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012160:Retina / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery
keywords: intradural-extramedullary cavernous malformation; spinal dysfunction; subarachnoid hemorrhage