U. Spetzger et al., CAVERNOUS ANGIOMAS OF THE SPINAL-CORD CLINICAL PRESENTATION, SURGICALSTRATEGY, AND POSTOPERATIVE RESULTS, Acta neurochirurgica, 134(3-4), 1995, pp. 200-206
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.