Intramedullary Cavernoma: Case Report and Literature Review

Cavernomas are benign vascular anomalies consisting of cavities where the blood circulates at lowflow and at low pressure. Intramedullary localization is unusual, represents approximately 5 to 12% of spinal vascularmalformations and 3% of intra-dural vascular malformations (5% of medullary vascular lesions).Observation: A patient, aged 59, consulted for the abrupt installation of moderate back pain followed by predominantmuscle weakness in the two lower limb of progressive worsening, responsible for gait disorders. The patient reportedthermal hypoesthesia and heaviness of the two lower limbs that had been evolving for two years. The examinationfound a dorsal spinal cord compression syndrome. On the MRI, there were abnormalities of intramedullary signal ofthe dorsal (D11) spinal cord with bleeding stigmas suggestive of intramedullary cavernomas.Conclusion: The management of the medullary cavernoma is essentially neurosurgical with complete microsurgicalresection of the malformation. In the absence of surgical treatment, evolution can be to chronic myelopathy orneurological aggravation.