Alexander G. Weil, M.D., FRCSC and Sanjiv Bhatia, M.D.

Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Miami/Miller School of Medicine, Miami Children’s Hospital, Miami, Florida

ABSTRACT Ventrally-located intramedullary cervical spinal cord cavernomas are rare entities in the pediatric population. Surgical access to these lesions is challenging. The authors present the complete resection of a symptomatic ventral cervical intramedullary cavernoma through an anterior approach in a 15-year-old boy. The lesion was accessed following left anterolateral dissection, C3–4 discectomy and C3/C4 partial corpectomy. The authors will discuss the rationale for intervening in this patient and for selecting this anterior approach over other approaches, such as the anterolateral, posterolateral or posterior approach. The steps, pitfalls and pearls of this surgical approach will be demonstrated in a detailed video.

Corresponding author : Sanjiv Bhatia, M.D., Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Miami Children’s Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Miami/Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida. Email : sanjiv.bhatia@mch.com.