Abstract
Cerebral cavernous malformations (CMs) are vascular malformations affecting any part
of the central nervous system. Clinical data and surgical outcomes for 27 pediatric
patients with CM-related epilepsy were retrospectively reviewed. The mean age of onset
was 12.71 ± 4.09 years, and the mean duration of epilepsy was 2.34 ± 1.95 years. All
27 patients were treated with microsurgery for resection of the CMs, and the hemosiderin
rim, and the secondary epileptogenic zone if necessary. The mean follow-up period
was 6.34 ± 3.35 years, and the overall postoperative outcomes were positive. Note
that 77.8% of patients were seizure-free postoperatively. The other patients with
residual epilepsy received incomplete resection of the hemosiderin rim or the secondary
epileptogenic zone due to retention of vital neurological functions. Surgical treatment
for pediatric patients with symptomatic supratentorial CMs is safe and effective.
Early intervention is recommended to resect CMs, the hemosiderin rim, and the epileptogenic
cortex, even in cases of multiple CMs.
Keywords
cerebral cavernous malformation - pediatric age - epilepsy - microsurgery
