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Giant intracranial and extracranial cavernous malformation. Case report
J L Voelker1, D H Stewart, S S Schochet
1Department of Pathology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, USA. jvoelker@hsc.wvu.edu
Journal of Neurosurgery
|September 2, 1998
Summary
Giant extracerebral cavernous malformations are rare, especially those extending through the skull. This case highlights a massive, decades-long enlargement of a frontotemporal cavernous malformation, successfully treated with surgical excision.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neurosurgery
- Vascular Malformations
Background:
- Extracerebral cavernous malformations (ECMs) are rare vascular anomalies.
- Massive enlargement and extension across tissue planes are highly uncommon presentations.
- Understanding ECM growth mechanisms is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.
Observation:
- A 49-year-old woman presented with a giant cavernous malformation in the left frontotemporal region.
- The lesion exhibited massive, progressive enlargement over several decades.
- The malformation extended through the calvaria into the extradural space.
Findings:
- Surgical excision was the definitive treatment for this giant ECM.
- The origin of the lesion (soft tissue or skull) was considered.
- Review of ECMs in various body locations and their growth patterns was conducted.
Implications:
- This case expands the understanding of rare giant ECM presentations.
- Highlights the importance of considering ECMs in differential diagnoses of skull-based masses.
- Surgical excision remains the gold standard treatment for symptomatic or enlarging ECMs.
