Cerebellar Cavernous Malformation (Cavernoma): A Case Report

Cavernous malformations are congenital or acquired vascular abnormalities. They are uncommon entities with an incidence of 0.5% of the general population and usually are unnoticed until a hemorrhagic event occurs. Cavernomas can be concurrently seen with developmental venous anomalies (DVAs) in 20% (range 20%-40%) of cases, in which case they are known as mixed vascular malformations. We report a case of a healthy young adult, who presented with acute onset of headache, dizziness, and nausea with intermittent episodes of vomiting for four days. Brain tomography imaging at presentation revealed likely multiple foci of intracranial hemorrhage; however, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed findings suggestive of an underlying cavernoma that had bled, in addition to a coexisting DVA. The patient was discharged home with no deficits. Outpatient follow-up five months later revealed no symptoms or neurologic deficits.