Cavenous Angioma

  I'm a 29-year-old woman with two young children. Three weeks ago I was diagnosed with a cavernous angioma on the left frontal lobe of my brain. It is near my speech and language area, but apparantly quite accessible. I have had two opinions from neurosurgeon's --one says wait and watch, while the other one says to eliminate the risk of further hemmorhage by taking it out. The only reason I went to the neurologist in the first place was because of very infrequent (6 total in 6 years), but severe, "spells" of dizziness, followed by 2 to 3 weeks of needing to concentrate more on my speech. At first I was told that this had nothing to do with the cavernoma, but the second surgeon says it may be related to when the cavernoma "leaks." He seems to think that these "spells" are more like seizures. So my question is two parts:
  1. Have you ever heard people describe seizures as a feeling that the room is spinning severely?
  2. Should I go ahead with the surgery to remove it?
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Jana,

My first response to your question seems to have disappeared. I hope it comes back since it was more detailed than this response. The first issue is that we do not provide specific treatment recommendations for individual cases, thus, I cannot answer your first question. Regarding the second question, however, there is a rare form of epilepsy (seizures) known as vertiginous epilepsy, in which the seizures consist of abrupt attacks of vertigo, or a sensation of spinning or accleration or motion sickness. It typically resuls from a seizures discharge focus located in th etemporal lobe of the brain, next to the part of the brain that process hearing information. A nearby mass lesion like a tumor or cavernous angioma could certainly trigger such seizures (if properly located), and their diagnosis would require EEG (brain wave) testing. Well, I hope this response makes it!! Remember, information provided on the forum is intended for general medical informational purposes only, and that the actual treatmment and diagnosis of your specific condition should be strictly in conjunction with your treating physician(s). If you would like a third opinion on your specific case from a CCF epileptologist (a seizure doctor) or neurodurgeon, the number to call is 1-800-223-2273. Good Luck, and we hope you find the information provided useful