Cavernoma – Clusters of abnormal Blood Vessels

Cavernoma – Clusters of abnormal Blood Vessels

Cavernoma are clusters of abnormal blood vessels which looks like a blackberry found mainly in the spinal cord and in the brain. They are at times known as cavernous angiomas, cavernous hemangiomas or cerebral cavernous malformations.

It can measure from a few millimetres to several centimetres and can get bigger though this growth is not cancerous and does not spread to the other areas of the body. It is often filled with blood which flows gradually through the vessels that are like caverns.

Sometimes the cells lining the blood vessels ooze out small amounts of blood inwards within the cavernoma or outwards into surrounding tissue and the risk of re-bleeding may vary and is difficult to predict accurately.

 Most of the people diagnosed with cavernoma do not have any symptoms and the condition is diagnosed only after a MRI – magnetic resonance imaging scan is done. If any noticeable problems have not been diagnosed, one may still develop symptoms later on in life.

The severity, type, combination and duration of symptoms may vary based on the location of the cavernoma where single or multiple cavernoma towards the surface of the hemispheres or lobes in the brain area may cause epileptic seizures.

Symptoms of Single/Multiple Cavernoma

Common symptoms of single or multiple cavernomas may include seizures, dizziness, weakness, headaches, numbness, balance problems, vision problems, slurred speech, tiredness, memory and concentration problems and a type of stroke known as haemorrhagic stroke.

These problems could occur due to the cavernoma pressing on some areas of the brain or it could be a result of bleeding. This is because the cells lining a cavernoma tend to be much thinner than those lining the normal blood vessels which may make the cavernoma to leak blood and when it does bleed, it is known as haemorrhage.

In several cases, the bleeding is minor and may not cause any symptoms though severe haemorrhages could be dangerous and life threatening leading to long lasting problems. Should one face any of these symptoms, it is essential to seek the help of a physician and be treated for the same at the earliest.

Neosurgery/Stereotactic Radiosurgery

In most of the cases there is no clear indication why a person may develop cavernoma. It could perhaps run in families where the child of someone with inherited cavernoma may have a 50% chance of inheriting this disease though in majority of the cases, this condition may occur without affecting other members of the family.

Some other cases are also associated to radiation exposure that previously hasbeen exposed to radiotherapy to the brain. Certain symptoms of cavernomas like seizures and headaches can be treated with medication though more invasive treatments could be given to eliminate the risk of future haemorrhages where the options of such treatments is made depending on the case and in consultation with the physician.

Some of the treatments used to reduce the risk of haemorrhage are neurosurgery which is carried out under general anaesthesia involving the opening up of the skull to remove the cavernoma, or stereotactic radiosurgery wherein the beams of radiation are aimed directly at the cavernoma to thicken and scar them.