Giant intracranial and extracranial cavernous malformation. Case report.

Massive enlargement of an extracerebral cavernous malformation and extension across tissue planes is very uncommon. The authors present the case of a 49-year-old woman with a giant cavernous malformation in the left frontotemporal area. It progressively enlarged during several decades, extended through the calvaria to the extradural space, and was surgically treated. The lesion may have originated in the soft tissue or the skull. The locations of cavernous malformations in various parts of the body are reviewed and their mechanisms of growth are discussed. Surgical excision is the treatment of choice.