Vertigo Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Vertigo, including details on causes, symptoms, treatment, dizziness.

Cavernous angioma of the vestibular nerve: case report and literature review.

Adachi K, Yoshida K, Akiyama T, Kawase T

Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan. kazu-adachi@rio.odn.ne.jp

BACKGROUND: To date, 50 cases of cavernous angioma in the CPA have been reported, and previous reports did not describe the tumor's site of origin. We describe a case of a small, extraaxial cavernous angioma of the vestibular nerve. We also propose a reclassification system for cavernous angioma of the CPA based on the tumor's site of origin. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 39-year-old female patient had recurrent deteriorating vertigo and a right hearing disturbance. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a cavernous angioma of the right CPA. Surgery was performed through a right lateral suboccipital approach. In the present case, the mass was attached to and covered the cisternal portion of the vestibular nerve, and it contained microvessels that were fed from the vascular plexus of the vestibular nerve. The tumor was resected en bloc, and the microvessels feeding it were cauterized. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of our review of 50 cases of cavernous angioma of the CPA, we propose that these tumors can be classified according to whether they develop from the venous plexus of the dura matter or of a cranial nerve. We also suggest that the site of origin affects the postoperative symptoms.

Published 30 June 2008 in Surg Neurol, 70(1): 82-6; discussion 86.
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