A cavernoma, also known as a cavernous hemangioma or cavernous malformation, is a collection of malformed blood vessels. It is a mass made up of small capillaries (blood vessels that connect arteries to veins) and venules (small veins) that create lesions in the central nervous system (CNS). Cavernomas can be present from birth and are usually diagnosed after death during autopsy or incidentally on imaging scans. They can occur anywhere in the CNS. Cavernomas have the potential for growth and are at risk of rupture, which can cause recurrent bleeding. Cavernomas can be recognized by the presence of hemosiderin depositions, which are due to leaky blood vessels and the breakdown of red blood cells. Hemosiderin depositions can be observed on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. The prevalence and progression of cavernomas remain poorly understood, creating challenges in their management and treatment decisions.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8401103
Outcome of intracerebral cavernoma treated by Gamma Knife radiosurgery based on a double-blind assessment of treatment indication.
The benefit and the risk profile of Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) for intracerebral cavernoma remains incompletely defined in part due to the natural history of low incidence of bleeding and spontaneous regression of this vascular malformation. In this study, we retrieved cases from a prospectively collected database to assess the outcome of intracerebral cavernoma treated with GKRS using a double blinded review process for treatment.
PubMed Central
2021-08-28
/en/sources/healthline-what-is-a-cavernous-hemangioma
What Is a Cavernous Hemangioma?
Healthline
2022-10-24
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9880495
Management of Central Nervous System Cavernomas: An Experience of the Department of Neurosurgery at the Ibn Tofail Hospital, Mohammed VI University Hospital.
Central nervous system cavernomas are congenital vascular anomalies posing a challenge not only in their diagnosis but also in their therapeutic management. The latter depends largely on their natural evolution and specifically their hemorrhagic potential.
PubMed Central
2022-12-27
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5742471
Spinal Cavernomas: Outcome of Surgically Treated 10 Patients.
We report the preoperative and postoperative findings and also neurological follow-up results from 10 spinal cavernoma patients treated in our clinic. Several representative cases are presented in terms of clinical features, imaging results, and surgical outcomes.
PubMed Central
2017-12-20
https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/13641/familial-cerebral-cavernous-malformation/diagnosis
Familial cerebral cavernous malformation - Getting a Diagnosis - Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center
Learn about diagnosis and specialist referrals for Familial cerebral cavernous malformation.
Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center - National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8898922
A murine model of cerebral cavernous malformations with acute hemorrhage.
Cavernomas are multi-lumen and blood-filled vascular malformations which form in the brain and the spinal cord. They lead to hemorrhage, epileptic seizures, neurological deficits, and paresthesia. An effective medical treatment is still lacking, and the available murine models for cavernomas have several limitations for preclinical studies. These include disease phenotypes that differ from human diseases, such as restriction of the lesions to the cerebellum, and absence of acute hemorrhage. Additional limitations of current murine models include rapid development of lesions, which are lethal before the first month of age. Here, we have characterized a murine model that recapitulates features of the human disease: lesions develop after weaning throughout the entire CNS, including the spinal cord, and undergo acute hemorrhage. This provides a preclinical model to develop new drugs for treatment of acute hemorrhage in the brain and spinal cord, as an unmet medical emergency for patients with cavernomas.
PubMed Central
2022-02-18
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10414059
Feasibility of comparing medical management and surgery (with neurosurgery or stereotactic radiosurgery) with medical management alone in people with symptomatic brain cavernoma - protocol for the Cavernomas: A Randomised Effectiveness (CARE) pilot trial.
The top research priority for cavernoma, identified by a James Lind Alliance Priority setting partnership was 'Does treatment (with neurosurgery or stereotactic radiosurgery) or no treatment improve outcome for people diagnosed with a cavernoma?' This pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims to determine the feasibility of answering this question in a main phase RCT.
PubMed Central
2023-08-09
https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/10750/diffuse-cavernous-hemangioma-of-the-rectum/diagnosis
Diffuse cavernous hemangioma of the rectum - Getting a Diagnosis - Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center
Learn about diagnosis and specialist referrals for Diffuse cavernous hemangioma of the rectum.
Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center - National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/1204/cerebral-cavernous-malformation/diagnosis
Cerebral cavernous malformation - Getting a Diagnosis - Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center
Learn about diagnosis and specialist referrals for Cerebral cavernous malformation.
Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center - National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8827309
Long-term outcome and quality of life after CNS cavernoma resection: eloquent vs. non-eloquent areas.
The aim of this study is to analyze the long-term quality of life after surgery of cavernoma. A monocentric retrospective study was conducted on 69 patients with cavernoma treated microsurgically between 2000 and 2016. The eloquence was adopted from Spetzler-Martin definition. A most recent follow-up was elicited between 2017 and 2019, in which the quality of life (QoL) was evaluated with the Short Form-12 questionnaire (SF12). Forty-one lesions were in eloquent group (EG), 22 in non-eloquent group (NEG), 3 in orbit, and 3 in the spinal cord. Postoperative worsening of the modified Rankin scale (mRS) occurred in 19.5% of cases in EG versus 4.5% in NEG. After a mean follow-up of 6.5 years (SD 4.6), the neurological status was better or unchanged compared to baseline in 85.4% of EG and 100% of NEG. Regarding QoL assessment of 44 patients (EG n = 27, NEG n = 14) attended the last follow-up. Patients after eloquent cavernoma resection reported a non-inferior QoL in most SF12 domains (except for physical role) compared to NEG. However, they reported general health perception inferior to norms, which was affected by the limited physical and emotional roles. At a late follow-up, the surgical morbidity was transient in the NEG and mostly recovered in the EG. The QoL comparison between eloquent and non-eloquent cavernomas created interesting and new data after prolonged follow-up. These results add value for decision-making as well as patient counseling for future encountered cases. Preoperative evaluation of QoL is recommended for future studies to assess QoL dynamics.
PubMed Central
2021-06-23