Gamma knife radiosurgery for brainstem cavernous malformations

Cavernous malformations (CMs) are benign vascular malformations, accounting for 5% –10% of all intracranial vascular angiomas [1–3]. Approximately 20% of intracranial cavernous malformations occur in the brainstem [4]. The annual hemorrhagic rate of brainstem CMs has been estimated at 0.1%–2.5% per lesion per year and 0.25%–16.5% per patient per year, but this rate obvious ly increases (up to 34% the annual risk) in patients with prior hemorrhagic events [4,5]. For brainstem CMs, the goal of any treatment method is to control rebleeding and avoid complications from recurrence.

Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery - October 8, 2016 Category: Neurosurgery Authors: Hong Bin Liu, Yi Wang, Sen Yang, Fei Long Gong, Yang Yang Xu, Wei Wang Source Type: research