Intramedullary hemangioblastomas are rare lesions representing 1 to 5% of spinal tumors. The aim of this study was to review our experience with the surgical management of intramedullary hemangioblastomas.
We performed a retrospective analysis of all the patients with intramedullary hemangioblastomas operated on between 1993 and 2011 in our department. All the patients were screened for Von Hippel Lindau disease. The minimum follow-up was 3 years. The clinical presentation, radiological findings, surgical procedure and outcomes were recorded and analyzed.
Our consecutive series included 59 patients with a total of 65 tumors. The mean age at diagnosis was 38 years. Forty-two patients (72.5%) had Von Hippel Lindau disease. The main symptom was pain (58% of cases). The most common location was cervical spinal cord. The average size was 15mm. The resection was complete in 95% cases resulting in clinical improvement in 12% cases, stability in more than 86% of cases and deterioration in less than 2% cases.
All patients with intramedullary hemangioblastoma should have a screening for the Von Hippel Lindau disease and if the diagnosis is correct, close monitoring should be initiated. Surgical removal is strongly advised in cases of neurological deficits or radiological progression of the tumour.