Intramedullary spinal cord cavernous angioma in children: case report and literature review

Childs Nerv Syst. 2008 Feb;24(2):259-63. doi: 10.1007/s00381-007-0441-3. Epub 2007 Sep 11.

Abstract

Introduction: Intramedullary cavernous angiomas (ImCA) of the spinal cord are very uncommon malformations especially in the pediatric population where only ten cases have yet been reported within the available literature.

Case report: In this paper, the authors report the case of a 12-year-old girl presenting with a T11 level hematomyelia because of a cavernous angioma. Microsurgical excision was performed with good clinical outcome and no magnetic resonance imaging evidence of residual cavernoma 30 months later.

Discussion: Despite the small number of cases reported in children, this one contributes to the literature identifying special features of presentation and management of ImCA for pediatric patients. Because a higher risk of recurrent bleeding has been demonstrated for ImCA, with dramatic clinical consequences, microsurgical removal remains the only definitive treatment.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Brown-Sequard Syndrome / etiology
  • Brown-Sequard Syndrome / surgery
  • Female
  • Hemangioma, Cavernous / complications
  • Hemangioma, Cavernous / pathology*
  • Hemangioma, Cavernous / surgery*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Neurosurgical Procedures
  • Spinal Cord Neoplasms / complications
  • Spinal Cord Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Spinal Cord Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Spinal Cord Vascular Diseases / etiology
  • Spinal Cord Vascular Diseases / surgery