Resection of Pontine Cavernoma Through the Anterior Transpetrosal Approach

The pons is the most frequent local for brain stem cavernoma.1 Repeated hemorrhage of brainstem cavernoma is associated with significant and accumulative neurological deficits and thus requires treatment. According to the Swedish Karolinska’s group of radiosurgery, ”it could not be concluded whether GKRS affects the natural course of a CM. The incidence of radiation-induced complications was approximately seven times higher than that expected.”2 Thus, microsurgical removal has become the mainstay of treatment. In our experience, the following details assist in obtaining favorable outcomes and avoiding postoperative complications3,4: (a) the entry into the cavernoma based on thorough knowledge of the microanatomy; (b) the detailed study of the images and the presentation of the cavernoma on or near the brain stem surface; (c) the resection of the live cavernous hemangioma and not the mere removal of the multiple aged organized hematomas; (d) the preservation of the associated venous angioma; (e) the direct and shortest access to the lesion provided by a skull base approach; and (f) the use of the available technology, such as intraoperative neuromonitoring and neuroimaging. We present the case of a 54-yr-old male with recent deterioration in year 2001, past repetitive episodes of gait imbalance, and speech difficulty over a 7-yr period from known pontine cavernoma. The anterior petrosal approach provided superb and direct exposure to the entry at the lateral pons and the cavernoma was totally removed with preservation of the venous angioma. His preoperative neurological deficit rapidly recovered. Patient consented to the procedure and photography. Images at 3:15 from Kadri et al, The anatomical basis for surgical presercation of temporal muscle. J Neurosurg. 2004;100:517-522, used with permission from JNSPG. Image at 3:27 from Al-Mefty O, Operative Atlas of Meningiomas, © LWW, 1997, with permission.

Venous Angioma: New Insights from Imaging Tools

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AN UNUSUAL CASE OF CEREBELLAR VENOUS ANGIOMA ASSOCIATED WITH TEMPORAL CAVERNOMA – PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL, DIAGNOSTIC, AND SURGICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Cerebral vascular malformations are hamartomas, classified into four distinct groups:arteriovenous malformations, cavernous malformations, capillary telangiectasias, anddevelopmental venous anomalies. These abnormal vascular entities have distinct histopathological, radiological, and clinical features, which make them different from one another. We report a case of a 37-year-old man, who presented with headaches, generalized grand mal seizures, and an episode of loss of consciousness, due to a left temporal cavernoma. Gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted MR images showed a left temporal “popcorn-like” lesion, with heterogeneousenhancement, measuring 15/17/18 mm, suggestive of a cavernoma (angiographically occultmalformation). The T2-weighted MRI showed a right cerebellar venous plexus, draining into alarger central vein and the angiogram revealed the pathognomonic caput medusae aspect of avenous angioma. Microsurgical resection of the left temporal cavernous malformation wasperformed using a left frontal temporal approach. The venous angioma was spared to avoid venousinfarction and cerebral edema with devastating vital consequences. The intra- and postoperativecourses were uneventful with total recovery. The seizures remitted under anticonvulsant therapy,and the postoperative computer tomography investigation were within normal limits. The venous angioma was situated in the right cerebellar hemisphere, rather than near the cavernoma, its location making this the particular aspect of this case.