Cavernous angioma associated with venous angioma--two case reports

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Neurosurgery
• Vascular Malformations

Background:

• Cavernous angiomas and venous angiomas are types of vascular malformations that can occur in the brain.
• Colocation of these two types of angiomas in the same region is rare.
• These malformations can manifest with neurological symptoms such as seizures (convulsions).

Observation:

• Two patients, a 17-year-old male and a 28-year-old female, presented with seizures due to co-located cavernous and venous angiomas.
• Surgical extirpation of the cavernous angiomas was performed without causing damage to the adjacent venous angiomas.
• Postoperatively, neither patient experienced neurological deficits.

Findings:

• Both patients remained seizure-free for two years following the surgery, without the need for anticonvulsant medication.
• The surgical removal of the cavernous angioma successfully resolved the presenting symptom of convulsions.
• Preservation of the venous angioma during surgery was achieved.

Implications:

• Early surgical extirpation of cavernous angiomas, particularly when co-located with venous angiomas, is a viable treatment strategy.
• Intervention prior to any potential bleeding from the angioma may lead to better patient outcomes.
• This approach suggests that timely surgical management can prevent long-term neurological sequelae and improve quality of life.