Bleeding of a venous hemangioma inside the filum terminale.

Spinal vascular malformations can present with acute symptoms suggesting spinal cord or nerve root compression. We describe a case of bleeding from a venous hemangioma within the filum terminale. This malformation caused acute compression of the lumbar spinal roots. Thus, vascular malformations may exist behind the symptoms of acute radiating pain and lower extremity weakness. They can be treated by total extirpation, when possible, by resection or by decompressive laminectomy alone.