Microsurgical Treatment Of Brainstem Cavernous Malformation

[ Objective ] In this study the authors review surgical experience with cavernous malformations of the brainstem in an attempt to define more clearly the results of surgical management of these lesions.[Methods] The authors retrospectively reviewed the cases of 7 patients (3 males and 4 females; mean age 33 years) harboring 7 lesions at treated in The First Affiliate Hospital of Xin Jiang Medical University, Neurosurgery Department between 1999 and 2005. Standard skull base approaches were used to resect lesions in 7 patients .The brainstem cavernous malformations were distributed as follows: pons in 3patients, midbrain in 2 patients , pontomesencephalic junction in 1 patient and cerebellopontine angle in 1 patient. The Karnofsky Performance Scale score was used to provide an objective measure defining preoperative and postoperative clinical status.[Results] Cavernous malformations were totally removed from all the 7 lesions ,1 patient died two days after operation, 6 patients participated postoperation follow-up, The follow-up period ranged from 10 to 86 months (mean 34 months) ,There were no rebleeding episode.The final Karnofsky Performance Scale score for these 7 patients 5 were the better after surgical intervention, 1 was the same, and 1 died two days after surgical. Motor deficits improved more than cranial nerve deficits and sensory impairment after microsurgery.[Conclusions] 1 Microsurgery is effective in treating brainstem cavernous malfotmations with appropriate indications and minimal invasive...