Spine and Spinal Cord Vascular Lesions

Abstract

Credit for first recognizing that spinal vascular malformations can cause subarachnoid hemorrhage must be given to Heboldt in 1885 and Gaupp in 1988, who referred to these lesions as “hemorrhoids of the pia mater.” Since then, multiple eponyms and classifications have been used for the various types of vascular malformations of the spine and spinal cord. Based on microscopic appearance and structure, topographic relationship, and pathological nature, the various classifications that emerged have become a source of confusion. Although reflecting the continuous evolution in our understanding of the subject, the complexity of the nomenclature now contributes to the significant difficulty that exists in understanding and comparing the various lesions considered to be vascular malformations of the spinal cord.