Radiation-induced cavernous malformation within a vestibular schwannoma is rare, with only four previous cases reported. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 65-year-old female developed a radiation-induced cavernous malformation within a vestibular schwannoma 2 years after gamma knife radiosurgery, initially presenting with mild facial palsy....
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Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
Audiologists managing patients with vestibular schwannoma treated by radiation should be aware that delayed radiation-induced vascular complications are rare but can be life-threatening — urgent neurosurgical referral is warranted if treated patients present with sudden severe headache or neurological symptoms.
As radiation-based management of vestibular schwannoma becomes more common, awareness of rare but severe delayed complications like radiation-induced cavernous malformation with hemorrhage is important for any clinician in the vestibular schwannoma care pathway.
- 01A radiation-induced cavernous malformation (abnormal blood vessel growth) formed within a vestibular schwannoma and caused brain bleeding.
- 02Patient was a 65-year-old female; the malformation manifested as subarachnoid hemorrhage — a medical emergency.
- 03Radiation therapy for vestibular schwannoma (e.g., Gamma Knife) can rarely induce vascular malformations as a late complication.
- 04Literature review identified limited comparable cases, underscoring the rarity of this complication.
- 05Raises questions about long-term imaging surveillance protocols for radiated vestibular schwannoma patients.
Radiation therapy for vestibular schwannoma can induce cavernous malformations that may manifest as subarachnoid hemorrhage.
studypartially supportedRadiation-induced cavernous malformation within vestibular schwannoma presenting as subarachnoid hemorrhage is a rare but documented complication.
studysupported- PMID
- 42559488
- DOI
- 10.25259/SNI_582_2026.
- Journal
- Surgical Neurology International
- Publication type
- case_report
- Evidence level
- 4
- Sample size
- 1
- Population
- 65-year-old female with history of radiation-treated vestibular schwannoma presenting with subarachnoid hemorrhage
- Intervention
- Prior radiation therapy for vestibular schwannoma (with literature review of similar cases)
Primary outcomes
Characterization of radiation-induced cavernous malformation within vestibular schwannoma; Clinical presentation and outcomes of subarachnoid hemorrhage in this context