Duke University Hospital has been selected as a center of excellence for the treatment of brain abnormalities known as cerebral cavernous malformations (CCM) in both adults and children.
The Alliance to Cure Cavernous Malformation award recognizes the hospital for providing expert, integrated, multidisciplinary care and cutting-edge research for CCM patients and their families. It is the only CCM center of excellence in North Carolina.
A cavernous malformation is a collection of abnormal blood vessels commonly found in the brain and spinal cord. They are a common cause of stroke, cerebral hemorrhage, and seizures in otherwise healthy patients. CCMs can grow at any age, including children, although they are most likely to become symptomatic in young adults.
Duke University Hospital is privileged and honored to be certified as one of the few centers of excellence in the country. Here the genes that cause the cerebral cavernous malformations were discovered.”
dr David Hasan, Duke’s cerebrovascular neurosurgeon
“We use state-of-the-art tools to diagnose the disease and provide effective treatment,” Hasan said. “Our clinical excellence and the expertise of our neurosurgeons have also resulted in excellent patient outcomes, even when treating very complex cases.”
The Alliance to Cure Cavernous Malformation is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting research for better treatments and a cure for brain diseases. Criteria for Center of Excellence designation include:
- Appointment of a multidisciplinary panel of clinical specialists, including cerebrovascular neurosurgeons; vascular, epilepsy and pediatric neurologists; neuroradiologists; and geneticists, all working together in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with cavernous malformations.
- At least two other medical specialists with expertise in cavernous malformations in one of the following disciplines: pediatric neurology, pediatric neurosurgery, dermatology, or neuroophthalmology.
- Maintaining an active clinical research program with a variety of publications that may include natural history studies, comparative research into treatment outcomes, genetics/genomics research, and/or clinical drug studies.
- Organize at least one patient awareness event per year, either independently or in partnership with Alliance to Cure Cavernous Malformation.
