Objectives Evaluation of the presentation, demographics, pathology and outcomes associated with the surgical management of spinal cavernous malformations [sCM].

Design A retrospective single-centre case series of surgically managed cavernous malformations over a 3 year period.

Subjects Ten patients were identified to have a diagnosis of sCM.

Methods Cases were identified from electronic and theatre records at a single centre. All patients underwent pre-operative assessment and radiographic evaluation.

Results 10 patients with a mean age of 52.6 years [SD ±14.1] and a male to female ratio of 1:1 with a mean follow-up of 14.1 months [SD ±7.9] were identified. Spinal CM spanned two vertebral levels in 9 out 10 cases with 3 cervical, 1 cervico-thoracic and 6 within the thoracic region. Duration of the symptoms prior to surgical intervention was 17 months [SD ±24], with three cases presenting with an acute [<2 week] history. Of those that underwent surgery [n=7] pain [85%, n=6], sensory/motor changes [85% n=6] and sphincteric disturbance [43%, n=3] were the commonest presenting signs and symptoms. Acute haemorrhage was a presenting factor in 3 cases. Post-operatively motor and sensory scores improved in 4 patients, 2 patients remained unchanged and 1 patient was worse. Recent haemorrhage was associated with increased likelihood in improvement in motor scores following resection.

Conclusions In selected cases surgical management of sCM is associated with improvement in motor and sensory function postoperatively.