[Recurrent bleeding of thalamic cavernous angioma under hormonal treatment. A case report]

A case of recurrent bleeding from a probable left thalamic cavernoma in a 26 year old woman taking hormonal treatment is reported. Four episodes of bleeding were clinically and radiologically documented, prior to her referral to our institution. Interestingly, each episode occurred three weeks after starting hormonal treatment, dydrogesterone, desogestrel ethinylestradiol, chlormadin, nomegestrel acetate). The patient was not operated because of the deep situation of the cavernoma which was remote from the thalamic surface within the third ventricle. There was no recurrent bleeding after the onset hormonal treatment was discontinued. Although no similar case has been found in the literature, we believe that this case gives further argumentation in favor of a role of hormonal factors influencing the biological behavior of cavernous angiomas which has been previously suggested in pregnant females with bleeding cavernous angiomas.