Hemorrhage of Cavernous Malformations During Pregnancy and in the Peripartum Period: Causal or Coincidence? Case Report and Review of the Literature

Department

Translational Neuroscience

Document Type

Article

Abstract

There is growing evidence to suggest that pregnancy may increase the risk of hemorrhage from cavernous malformations (CMs). In the present case, a 21-year-old primigravida was admitted to the authors' neurosurgical service after a cesarean section. Three weeks before admission she had experienced rapidly progressive bilateral lower-extremity paresthesias. Spinal magnetic resonance (MR) imaging revealed the presence of an intramedullary thoracic lesion. On T2-weighted MR images, heterogeneous signal intensity with a rim of decreased intensity was demonstrated in the spine. The mass was successfully resected, and 1 year later the patient's symptoms had resolved completely. This is the fourth reported case of a spinal intramedullary CM that became symptomatic during pregnancy. The pathogenesis and management of this entity are reviewed.

Publication Date

2006

Publication Title

Neurosurgical focus

ISSN

1092-0684

Volume

21

Issue

1

First Page

e12

PubMed ID

16859250

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.3171/foc.2006.21.1.13

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS