Vascular Lesions of the Spinal Cord: Arteriovenous and Cavernous Malformations.

Intramedullary spinal arteriovenous malformations and cavernous malformations are benign lesions, but because of their highly eloquent location and propensity to hemorrhage over time, they can result in devastating neurologic consequences if untreated. The cornerstone of treatment remains surgical resection, with complete surgical resection and subsequent cure being the goal. For arteriovenous malformations, preoperative endovascular therapy has a large role in maximizing the likelihood of surgical success.