Successful preoperative embolization of a cystic-solid variant of cerebellopontine angle hemangioblastoma

Abstract

Tumors of the cerebellopontine angle (CPA) represent an heterogeneous group which can arise extradural, intradural-extraaxial or intraaxial compartment.Hemangioblastomas of the cerebellopontine angle (CPA) are extremely rare.Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are often the gold-standard radiological imaging modalities used in characterizing the lesion's features, and its relationship with the surrounding structures.They are vascular lesions and may cause profuse bleeding intraoperatively, that is why angiography remains a crucial diagnostic and therapeutic tool, by reducing both the presurgical differential diagnosis, as well as the intraoperative bleeding by providing capability of embolization of this vascular tumor.We present the case of a 65 year old patient with a cystic-solid variety of HMB at the right CPA, which was successfully treated by a combination of an endovascular preoperative embolization and surgery without major complications or neurological deficits.

Keywords

• Hemangioblastoma
• Cystic-solid
• Cerebellopontine angle
• Embolization