CAVERNOUS ANGIOMAS OF THE SPINAL-CORD CLINICAL PRESENTATION, SURGICALSTRATEGY, AND POSTOPERATIVE RESULTS

Nine consecutive cases of surgically treated spinal cavernous angiomas are presented. Our series consists of 6 men and 3 women with the foll owing intramedullary spinal location of the cavernomas: 4 cervical, 4 thoracic and 1 thoraco-lumbar. All 9 patients were symptomatic with si gns of myelopathy and senorimotor deficits corresponding to the level of the lesion. Six patients underwent laminectomy and in three patient s a hemilaminectomy was performed to approach the lesion. A complete r esection of the cavernoma was achieved in each case. Five patients sho wed transient neurological deterioration, in three cases the neurologi cal status remained unchanged, and one patient experienced a slight im provement of symptoms during the early postoperative period. At follow up examination (mean 14 months postoperative), a clear improvement of the clinical signs was demonstrable in 6 patients, and a complete reso lution of the pre-existing symptoms and signs was achieved in two indi viduals. In one case the clinical state remained unchanged. It is conc luded that microsurgical resection is the treatment of choice in caver nomas of the spinal cord.