How can we optimize the long-term outcome in children with intracranial cavernous malformations? A single-center experience of 61 cases

The objective is to provide a treatment algorithm for pediatric patients with intracranial cavernous malformations (CMs) based on our experience. Patients < 18 years of age who were treated either surgically or conservatively at the authors’ institution between 1982 and 2019 were retrospectively evaluated. A total of 61 pediatric patients were treated at the authors’ institution: 39 with lobar CMs; 18 with deep CMs, including 12 in the brainstem and 6 in the basal ganglia; and 4 with CMs in the cerebellar hemispheres. Forty-two patients underwent surgery, and 19 were treated conservatively. The median follow-up time was 65 months (1–356 months). In surgically treated patients, lesions were larger (2.4 cm vs 0.9 cm, p < 0.001). In patients with lobar CMs, seizures were more common (72% vs 21%, p = 0.003) in the surgery group than in conservatively managed patients. In deep CMs, modified Rankin scale (mRS) was higher (4 vs 1, p = 0.003) in the surgery group than in conservatively treated patients. At the time of last follow-up, no differences in Wieser outcome class I were seen (86% vs 67%) in lobar CMs, and mRS scores had aligned between the treatment groups in deep CMs (1 vs 0). We encountered no new permanent neurological deficit at time of last follow-up. We propose a treatment algorithm according to lesion location and size, burden of symptoms, epilepsy workup, and further clinical course during observation. A conservative management is safe in pediatric patients with asymptomatic CMs. Gross total resection should be the aim in patients with symptomatic lobar CMs. A less aggressive approach with subtotal resection, when required to prevent neurological compromise, sustainably improves neurological outcome in patients with deep CMs.