Spinal intramedullary cavernous angiomas: a literature meta-analysis

Abstract

The present report reviews 57 (out of 65) cases of spinal intramedullary cavernomas collected from the literature, plus one personal patient. Almost 70% of all patients were women. Mean age at diagnosis for women was 36.4 years, with a peak in the third decade. More than three-fourths of all women became symptomatic between the second and fourth decades, with a peak in the fourth decade. Unlike in men, cervical and thoracic lesions are almost equally represented, generally involving 1-2 vertebral levels. Mean size at diagnosis is 1.7 cm; no enlargement over time was seen. Symptoms are more frequently acute; pain and sensorimotor deficits are the usual complaints, but the clinical picture may simulate that of multiple sclerosis. The duration of history was less than 5 years in more than 80% of women. Bleeding was seen in 60% of women, with a risk of 1.6%/person-year of exposure globally. Cervical lesions have both a shorter course and increased frequency of bleeding. If not immediately recognized, repeated cycles of bleeding are the norm, with a mean interval of 39.6 months between the first and second episodes. The preoperative status was the single most important factor bearing on outcome, whereas sex, age, size, location, duration of history and extent of removal were not. Magnetic resonance imaging was diagnostic in all cases, whereas angiography was 100% negative. Surgery should not be a necessary first option, as recovery from the first bleeding is apparently fairly frequent.