Rare Cervical Intramedullary Cavernous Angioma with Trigeminal Neuralgia and Cervical Itch: Case Report and Review of the Literature

INTRODUCTION: Intramedullary cavernous angioma (ICA) is a rare lesion of the spinal cord, representing only 3% - 5% of central nervous system lesions. The coexistence of trigeminal neuralgia and refractory itch is very rarely encountered in clinical practice. To our knowledge, a report of an ICA with trigeminal neuralgia and local neuropathic itch has never been published to date. Thus, we present a very interesting case of a C2 ICA. CASE PRESENTATION: A 61-year-old female presented with right facial pain for three years, which was exacerbated by accompanying cervical pain and itch for one month. The patient’s symptoms were relieved after surgery, and there was no recurrence of lesions one year later. CONCLUSIONS: ICA with trigeminal neuralgia and local neuropathic itch is very rarely encountered in clinical practice. As it is not always diagnosed at first, some patients miss the best treatment period. Therefore, we call for emphasis to be placed on early diagnosis and timely surgical treatment.