Natural history of intracranial cavernous malformations

J Neurosurg. 1995 Jul;83(1):56-9. doi: 10.3171/jns.1995.83.1.0056.

Abstract

The authors have reviewed the clinical records of 110 patients with intracranial cavernous malformations diagnosed by histological examination and/or magnetic resonance imaging over a mean follow-up period of 4.71 years. These cases were divided, based on their presentation, into a hemorrhage group, a seizure group, and an incidentally diagnosed group. The rate of subsequent symptomatic bleeding was investigated in relation to age at onset, sex, and location of the initial lesion. A high rate of subsequent symptomatic bleeding episodes was found in the hemorrhage group, especially among younger females. The nonhemorrhagic-onset cases had a very low incidence of bleeding. The outcome was generally good, except in patients with lesions in the basal ganglia and brainstem. These findings will be helpful in planning a rational therapeutic strategy for intracranial cavernous malformations.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Brain Neoplasms / complications
  • Brain Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Brain Neoplasms / surgery
  • Cerebral Hemorrhage / diagnosis*
  • Cerebral Hemorrhage / epidemiology
  • Cerebral Hemorrhage / etiology
  • Cerebral Hemorrhage / surgery
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Child
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Hemangioma, Cavernous / complications
  • Hemangioma, Cavernous / diagnosis*
  • Hemangioma, Cavernous / surgery
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations / complications
  • Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations / diagnosis*
  • Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations / surgery
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Seizures / etiology
  • Sex Distribution
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed