title: [Supratentorial cavernous malformations in an Argentinian institution: experience with surgical treatment].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cavernous malformations are vascular malformations of the central nervous system formed by a group of capillaries not covered by pia mater and communicated to the vascular system at very low pressure with very slow flow. Surgery or radiosurgery are the treatment modalities.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze our results after surgical treatment of supratentorial cavernous malformations, reviewing clinical presentation, surgical indications and postoperative complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analytical retrospective study of medical records and images of patients who underwent resection of supratentorial cavernomas at FLENI from January 1996 until December 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We evaluated 51 patients, mean age 34 years, followed for an average of 30 months. In 1.96% of patients diagnosis was incidental, the rest all presented symptoms. Bleeding at diagnosis was observed in 23.52%. Total excision of supratentorial cavernous malformations was possible in all cases. The only postoperative complication was one case of meningitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The bleeding rate of supratentorial cavernous malformations in our series was 1.38% per patient per year. Surgical treatment effectively eliminated, or at least reduced symptoms, prevented rebleeding, and decreased need for antiepileptic drug therapy. Surgery have a low complication rate and good outcome.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Neurologicas Dr. Raul Carrea (FLENI), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Vergara
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Neurologicas Dr. Raul Carrea (FLENI), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cervio
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Neurologicas Dr. Raul Carrea (FLENI), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farez
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Neurologicas Dr. Raul Carrea (FLENI), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mormandi
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Neurologicas Dr. Raul Carrea (FLENI), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Condomi-Alcorta
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Neurologicas Dr. Raul Carrea (FLENI), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salvat
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001118:Argentina; D005260:Female; D020786:Hemangioma, Cavernous, Central Nervous System / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult