Surgical intervention of intracerebral giant cystic cavernous hemangiomas in children

Objective To discuss the diagnosis and treatment of intrcerebral giant cystic cavernous hemangiomas (CHH) in children.Methods Between Mar.1998 and Nov.2006,totally 6 children under 2 years old with CHH underwent treatment in out center and retrospective summarization and analysis was conducted in this study.The craniotomy was performed for lesion resection under the surgical microscope.Results Among all children one patient was found multiple lesions and the lesion with occupying effect was removed.The follow-up time in all cases ranged from 6 months to 8 years.Neither rehemorrhage nor recurrence was found in primary lesion.One case was treated by subtotal excision of lesion closed to halamic basal ganglia,and gamma knife radiotherapy was conducted in post-surgical 6 months due to less vascular mass in MRI imaging.Two cases with CHH presenting with neurological dysfunction recovered well after surgery.Another case with epilepsy presented well after management of anti-epilepsy drug.Conclusions Chronic bleeding and dissolution of erythrocytes result in the formation of CHH and significant occupying effect.The earlier excision usually brings better curative efficacies. Key words: Hemangioma, cavernous; Central nervous system; Infant; Neurosurgical procedures