Cavernous venous malformations in and around the central nervous system. Part 1: Dural and extradural

Walid Ibn Essayed Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts

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Joshua D. Bernstock Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts

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Jason A. Chen Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts

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Ari D. Kappel Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts

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Patrick R. Ng Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts

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Rose Du Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts

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Publication Date:
15 Sep 2023
Page Range:
1–11
Volume/Issue:
Publish Before Print
DOI link:
https://doi.org/10.3171/2023.6.JNS222878
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Cavernous-type malformations are venous lesions that occur in multiple locations throughout the body, and when present in the CNS, they have canonically been referred to as cavernomas, cavernous angiomas, and cerebral cavernous malformations. Herein all these lesions are referred to as "cavernous venous malformations" (CavVMs), which is congruent with the current International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies classification system. Even though histologically similar, depending on their location relative to the dura mater, these malformations can have different features. In Part 1 of this review, the authors discuss and review pertinent clinical knowledge with regard to CavVMs as influenced by anatomical location, starting with the dural and extradural malformations. They particularly emphasize dural CavVMs (including those in the cavernous sinus), orbital CavVMs, and spinal CavVMs. The genetic and histopathological features of CavVMs in these locations are reviewed, and commonalities in their presumed mechanisms of pathogenesis support the authors’ conceptualization of a spectrum of a single disease entity. Illustrative cases for each subtype are presented, and the pathophysiological and genetic features linking dural and extradural to intradural CavVMs are examined. A new classification is proposed to segregate CavVMs based on the location from which they arise, which guides their natural history and treatment.

ABBREVIATIONS

αSMA = alpha smooth muscle actin; CavVM = cavernous venous malformation; CCM = cerebral cavernous malformation; EC = endothelial cell; GTR = gross-total resection; SMC = smooth muscle cell.
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Contributor Notes

Correspondence Rose Du: Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. rdu@bwh.harvard.edu.

INCLUDE WHEN CITING Published online September 15, 2023; DOI: 10.3171/2023.6.JNS222878.

Disclosures Dr. Chen reported equity interest in Verge Genomics and Gravity Medical Technology.

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