What is Cavernous Malformation?
A cavernous malformation, also known as a cavernous angioma or cavernoma, is an abnormal collection of blood vessels that may occur within the brain or spinal cord. This condition may be present at birth or may develop at a later time, occurring most often in those with a family history of this condition, although anyone may be affected.
Symptoms of Cavernous Malformation
Cavernous malformations may be harmless, or may lead to hemorrhaging and seizures if left untreated. Many patients with a cavernous malformation will never experience any symptoms or complications from this condition, and may never even know that they have it, while others may experience serious symptoms. Symptoms of brain cavernous malformations may include seizures, headache, paralysis, hearing and vision changes and bleeding within the brain, known as cerebral hemorrhage.
Diagnosis of Cavernous Malformation
In order to diagnose a cavernous malformation, your doctor will perform an MRI or CAT scan of the brain. These exams are often performed to evaluate unrelated symptoms, at which point these blood vessel abnormalities may be discovered.
Treatment and Surgery of Cavernous Malformation
Treatment for this condition aims to relieve any symptoms and reduce the risk of complications for hemorrhaging, and may be done through medications like anti epileptic drugs. For more severe cases, surgery may be performed to remove the lesions. This can often be done using microsurgical techniques to reduce the invasiveness of the procedure. Patients who do not have any symptoms may only need a yearly MRI to monitor the condition and make sure it does not worsen. Your doctor will determine the most appropriate treatment approach for each patient’s individual condition.
At Princeton Neurological Surgery, Dr. Lipani is a board certified fellowship trained neurosurgeon in New Jersey and specialist in the treatment for cavernous malformation. Dr. Lipani treats patients from around the world as well as locally from Princeton, New Brunswick, Hopewell, Pennington and communities throughout Somerset, Middlesex, Ocean, Burlington, Monmouth, Morris and Mercer Counties for cavernous malformation. Dr. Lipani offers image guided brain surgery approaches for cavernous malformation, tailored to the needs of each patient. For state-of-the-art cavernous malformation treatment, call or email us to schedule a consultation at our offices in Hamilton, Bridgewater, or Morristown, New Jersey!
Dr. Lipani performs neurosurgeries correcting cavernous malformation in hospitals around New Jersey. Because he has over 15 years of experience, Dr. Lipani knows how to communicate with his patients and ensure they receive the correct neurosurgery option for them.