Hypothalamic Cavernomas: Pediatric Case Report with 8.5-Year Follow-up and Review of the Literature.

Abstract

Cavernous malformations (cavernomas) are angiographically occult vascular lesions that can present symptomatically or be discovered incidentally. Rarely, they present in the hypothalamus or in children. We describe the case of a 14-year-old male patient who presented with headaches and fever and was found to have a hypothalamic cavernoma that hemorrhaged. It was managed expectantly, with 1 rehemorrhage 21 months later, and the patient remains asymptomatic to this day aside from headaches. This is to our knowledge the youngest case of a hypothalamic cavernoma to be reported and includes 8.5 years of follow-up and imaging. In addition, a literature review is performed that summarizes the 11 previously reported cases of hypothalamic cavernomas, including associated symptoms, management options, and outcomes.