Raising awareness of cavernoma in the general public and among medical professionals is a priority at CAUK. That’s why, last week, our founder, Ian Stuart, and CAUK member, Charlotte Cuffe, attended the annual British Neurovascular Group Meeting at Downing College, Cambridge
Ian has attended many conferences of this sort over the years, liaising with clinicians and raising awareness of cavernoma among attendees. The British NeuroVascular Group is made up of neurosurgeons with a major clinical interest in vascular neurosurgery, and, at this year’s conference, cavernoma was firmly on the agenda!
The neurovascular community has a keen interest in cavernoma, particularly given the fact that is a relatively ‘new’ and unknown condition. One neurosurgeon remarked to CAUK founder Ian at the Society of British Neurological Surgeons (SBNS) fifteen years ago; “The problem is that many neurosurgeons don’t know what a cavernoma is”.
We’re happy to say that this is changing and great progress is being made. During the two day event this year, a total of five speakers presented exciting new material focused on cavernoma (details below), and Professor Peter Hutchinson discussed the 
importance of the CARE trial – the first ever pilot clinical trial for cavernoma – for which CAUK is heavily involved and makes up the patient group.
We asked Ian to tell us a little about his experience of attending the meeting. He reflected;
“One of the most rewarding aspects of the British Neurovascular Group’s meeting in February 2023, was to see the amount of time the neurosurgical community devoted to cavernoma. For over two hours, neurosurgeons listened to lectures about the raspberry-looking lesion that has caused, and continues to cause, CAUK members such problems.
Attendance at such meetings not only enhances CAUK’s reputation, but allows us to engage some of the most important speakers working on cavernoma today such as Mr Dan Brown and Dr Oliver Bozinov, a brainstem cavernoma surgeon from Switzerland. Both of whom have agreed to speak with CAUK members in the not too distant future.”
We want to say a massive thank you to Ian for attending, and to CAUK member Charlotte Cuffe for joining him and for being an invaluable help chatting to neurosurgeons and neuroscience nurses on the first day of the meeting.
—
CAVERNOMA ON THE AGENDA
-
“Microsurgical approaches to brainstem cavernomas – when and how.” Guest speaker: Dr. Oliver Bozinov is to be a potential speaker at a forthcoming CAUK event. Chief of Neurosurgery, Kantonnsspital St Gallen, Switzerland.
-
“The role of SRS (Stereotactic Radio Surgery) for ruptured brainstem cavernomas.” Guest Speaker: Mr Matthias Radatz, University of Sheffield.
-
“Cavernoma Case Discussions.” Mr. Dan Brown, University of Cambridge
-
“Brainstem/deep cavernomas – An evidence based management algorithm.” Speaker: Mr Jash Patel (former speaker at a CAUK London CaverHub). University of Oxford.
-
“Surgical resection of cavernomas – Epilepsy outcomes of the Sheffield Cohort.” Speaker: Alexander Rossdeutsch