• Aslan Lashkarivand, Geir Ringstad, and Per Kristian Eide.
• Department of Neurosurgery, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway.
• Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown). 2020 Jun 1; 18 (6): 590-598.

BackgroundBrainstem cavernous malformations (BSCMs) are associated with substantial neurologic morbidity, but the literature on quality of life (QoL) after surgical treatment is limited. There is a need for validating the clinical utility of current grading scales for cavernous malformations.ObjectiveTo assess outcome of surgery for BSCMs and validate how outcome is associated with current grading scales for cavernous malformations.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed a single-surgeon series of patients with BSCM treated surgically during a 10-yr period. Outcome was categorized according to modified Rankin Scale (mRS), and QoL was assessed by interviewing patients using Short Form 36 (SF-36) Health Survey and comparing results with the normative population. The mRS and QoL were correlated with the Lawton BSCM grading scale and with the Zabramski classification of cavernous malformations.ResultsThe study included 22 patients (12 males and 10 females; median age 58 yr). No mortality related to the BSCM surgery occurred, and none were in vegetative state. In SF-36, 70% of patients reported a physical and mental functioning noninferior compared to the general population of comparative age and gender group. There was a significant positive correlation between the Lawton BSCM grading and the postoperative mRS score and QoL.ConclusionOutcome of surgery for BSCM was good, as assessed by mRS and QoL. The Lawton grading scale for BSCMs correlated significantly with the postoperative mRS score and QoL, suggesting this grading scale may become a useful clinical tool for treatment prognostication at the individual level.Copyright © 2019 by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

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