Sporadic cauda equina hemangioblastoma: surgical management in a pregnant woman

Br J Neurosurg. 2021 Apr 20:1-5. doi: 10.1080/02688697.2021.1914820. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Hemangioblastoma is a rare benign vascular tumour of the central nervous system that occurs either sporadically or in association with Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome. Hemangioblastoma can be found throughout the central nervous system and usually present with late manifestations due to their slow growth rate. Cauda equina hemangioblastomas are extremely rare, and in the literature, no cases are reported on the surgical management of pregnant patients with this condition. We report the case of a young woman with back pain and sphincter dysfunctions in whom an L1-L2 hemangioblastoma was diagnosed. We describe the perioperative and surgical strategies we adopted to successfully treat the patient and preserve the fetus well-being.

Keywords: Cauda equina tumour; Von-Hippel Lindau syndrome; cauda equina syndrome; hemangioblastoma; pregnancy; spinal tumour.