Isolated haemangioblastoma of spinal cord: report of 18 cases and a review of the literature.

Eighteen cases of isolated spinal haemangioblastoma are presented. 13 patients were male and 5 female; average age was 34 years. The site of the tumour was bulbo-cervical in 1 case, cervical in 6, cervico-thoracic in 2, thoracic in 7, thoraco-lumbar in 2. Surgical excision of the tumor was total in all cases and peri-operative mortality was 5%. At average follow-up of 11 years, 8 patients had died (4 from neurological causes and 4 from non-neurological disease), and 9 survived; symptoms and signs improved in 11 cases, and were not improved in 6. The biological and pathological characteristics of this tumour are reported in the light of the present 18 cases and those reported in the literature.