Cavernous Malformations

Treatment

Doctors trained in brain and nervous system conditions (neurologists), brain and nervous system surgery (neurosurgeons), brain imaging (neuroradiologists) and other specialties work with you to appropriately treat cavernous malformations and other neurological conditions.

Your treatment may include:

• Observation. If you're not experiencing symptoms, your doctor may monitor your cavernous malformation with intermittent testing, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to watch for any changes in the malformation. Your doctor will also ask about any changes in your symptoms.
• Surgery. If you're experiencing symptoms and your malformation can be reached surgically, your doctor may recommend surgery to remove the cavernous malformation.
• Stereotactic radiosurgery. In very rare cases, doctors may perform stereotactic radiosurgery, if your malformation is causing repeated hemorrhages and if it's located in an area that can't be reached by surgery. In this procedure, doctors use targeted radiation (stereotactic radiosurgery) to treat cavernous malformations. This procedure may lower the number of repeated hemorrhages. However, radiosurgery may not completely eliminate malformations and the procedure may cause complications, such as neurological problems.