[Hemangioblastomas of the central nervous system in Camagüey (Cuba)]

Hemangioblastomas of the central nervous system are the most frequent vascular tumours. They are 1 2% of primary nervous system tumours and 8 12% of the posterior fossa neoplasms. The objective is to analize clinical behaviour and long term results of sporadic and Von Hippel Lindau linked hemangioblastomas.

It was searched the vacular Neurosurgical Data Bank at Manuel Ascunce Dom nech Hospital between January 1981 and January 2001 to select patients harvoring central nervous system hemangioblastomas histological confirmed. Melmo and Rosen criteria were utilized in Von Hippel Lindau syndrome. We performed a twenty years follow up of this patients.

There were 12 patients with central nervous system hemangioblastomas. Average age of presentation was 41 years old. The first case had twenty years since the operation and the last, eight months. 83% were cystic and 17% were solids. There was not surgical mortality. One patient died of renal carcinoma 15 years after the operation on craneal fossa.

Central nervous system hemangioblastomas are a cluster of challenge tumours. They are intraxial benign tumours with potential good outcome. We observed sporadic and Von Hippel Lindau linked hemangioblastomas. Patients with this syndrome need clinico imagenological screening to identify new associated lesions.