• UCLA Health
  • myUCLAhealth
  • School of Medicine
UCLA Neurosurgery

UCLA Neurosurgery

UCLA Neurosurgery
  • About Us
    • Chair's Welcome
    • Neurosurgery Faculty
    • Our History
    • Clinical Quality Program
    • Innovation and Technology
    • Giving
    • eNewsletters
    • In the News
    • Webcasts
    • Webinars
    • Resources and Links
    • Global Neuro Health
    • Golden Portal Awards
    • Visionary Ball
    • Lab Party
    • UCLA Neurosurgery App
    • Spotlights
    • Chair's Welcome
    • Neurosurgery Faculty
    • Our History
    • Clinical Quality Program
    • eNewsletters
    • Innovation and Technology
    • In the News
    • Webcasts
    • Webinars
    • Giving
    • Global Neuro Health
    • Lab Party
    • Spotlights
    • Submit Anonymous Feedback (For Faculty)
  • Conditions Treated
    • Alphabetical Conditions
    • Brain Conditions
    • Brain Tumor
    • Pediatric Conditions
    • Spine Conditions
    • Vascular Conditions
    • Acoustic Neuroma
    • Adult Tethered Cord
    • Acromegaly
    • Acute Subdural Hematomas
    • Anaplastic Astrocytoma (AA)
    • Ankylosing Spondylitis
    • Aqueductal Stenosis
    • Arachnoid Cysts
    • Arnold Chiari Malformation
    • Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
    • Astrocytoma
    • Ballism
    • Basilar Invagination
    • Brachial Plexus Injury
    • Brain Aneurysm
    • Brain Attack (Stroke)
    • Brain AVM
    • Brain Conditions
    • Brain Metastases
    • Brainstem Glioma
    • Carotid Dissection
    • Carotid Stenosis
    • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
    • Causalgia
    • Cavernous Angioma
    • Cerebral Aneurysms
    • Cerebral Contusion and Intracerebral Hematoma
    • Chordomas
    • Chorea
    • Chronic Subdural Hematomas
    • Colloid Cyst
    • Coma
    • Concussion
    • Congenital Dermal Sinus
    • Cranial GunShot Wounds
    • Craniopharyngioma
    • Craniosynostosis
    • Cushing's Disease
    • Cyst Epidermoid Tumor
    • Dandy Walker Syndrome
    • Degenerative Disc Disease
    • Dermoid Tumor
    • Disc Herniation
    • Dural Arteriovenous Malformations
    • Dystonia
    • Ependymoma
    • Epidermoid Tumor (Cyst)
    • Epidural Hematomas
    • Epilepsy
    • Essential Tremor
    • Extratemporal Lobe Epilepsies
    • Facet Joint Syndrome
    • Fibromyalgia
    • Frontal Lobe Epilepsy
    • Ganglioglioma
    • Glioblastoma
    • Germinoma
    • Glioma
    • Glomus Jugulare Tumor
    • Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia
    • Hemangioblastomas
    • Hemi-Facial Spasm
    • Hydrocephalus
    • Hyperhidrosis
    • Intracerebral Hemorrhage
    • Intracranial Hypotension
    • JPA
    • Low-Grade Astrocytoma
    • Lymphocytic Hypophysitis
    • Lymphoma
    • Malignant Nerve Sheath Tumors
    • Medulloblastoma
    • Meningioma Brain Tumor
    • Meralgia Paresthetica
    • Metastatic Brain Tumors
    • Moyamoya Disease
    • Myelomeningocele
    • Myelopathy
    • Nelson's Syndrome
    • Neurocysticercosis
    • Neurofibromatosis Type 2 and Schwannomatosis
    • Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
    • Oligodendroglioma
    • Optic Nerve Glioma
    • Osteoarthritis of the Peripheral Joint
    • Osteoarthritis of the Spine
    • Osteomyelitis
    • Osteoporotic Vertebral Fractures
    • Parkinsons Syndrome
    • Pediatric Conditions
    • Pediatric Hydrocephalus
    • Peripheral Nerve Injury
    • Phantom Limb Pain
    • Pineal Tumor
    • Pineoblastoma
    • Pineocytoma
    • Platybasia
    • Postherpetic Neuralgia
    • Post-Traumatic Seizures
    • Primary CNS Lymphoma
    • Pseudotumor Cerebri
    • Radiculopathy—Cervical & Lumbar (Pinched Nerve)
    • Recurrent Adenomas
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Schwannomas
    • Scoliosis
    • Seizure
    • Skull Fracture
    • Slit Ventricle Syndrome
    • Spasticity
    • Spinal Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
    • Spinal Compression Fractures
    • Spine Conditions
    • Spinal Cord Injury
    • Spinal Cord Lipomas & Lipomyelomeningoceles
    • Spinal Cord Tumors
    • Stenosis
    • Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
    • Syringomyelia
    • Tethered Cord Syndrome
    • Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
    • Thyrotroph (TSH) Secreting Adenomas
    • Torticollis
    • Traumatic Hematomas
    • Trigeminal Neuralgia
    • Trochanteric Bursitis
    • Ulnar Nerve Entrapment
  • Clinical Programs
    • Brain Tumor Center
    • Cerebrovascular
    • Epilepsy and Functional Neurosurgery
    • Neurotrauma & Neuro Critical Care
    • Pediatric Neurosurgery
    • Peripheral Nerve
    • Pituitary and Skull Base Surgery
    • Spine Center
    • Brain Tumor Center
    • Cerebrovascular
    • Epilepsy and Functional Neurosurgery
    • Neurotrauma & Neuro Critical Care
    • Pediatric Neurosurgery
    • Peripheral Nerve
    • Pituitary and Skull Base Surgery
    • Spine Center
  • For Patients
    • Appointment Request
    • Telemedicine and Remote Second Opinion
    • Contact Us
    • Maps and Directions
    • myUCLAhealth
    • UCLA Neurosurgery app
    • Preparing for Neurosurgery
    • Peer Support Program
    • Going Home After Surgery
    • Billing Information
    • Suspect a Brain Injury?
    • Patient Stories
    • Patient and Family Advisory Council
    • Resources and Links
    • Appointment Request
    • Telemedicine and Remote Second Opinion
    • Contact Us
    • myUCLAhealth
    • UCLA Neurosurgery App
    • Preparing for Neurosurgery
    • Going Home After Surgery
    • Billing Information
    • Suspect a Brain Injury?
    • Patient Stories
    • Neurosurgery Patient and Family Advisory Council
    • Resources and Links
  • Research Innovation
    • Research Scientists
    • Brain Injury Research Center (BIRC)
    • Brain Tumor SPORE
    • Clinical Trials
    • Research Grant Funding
    • Surgical Neurology International
    • Publications
  • Education
    • Residency Training
    • Resident Accolades & Scholarly Activity
    • Fellowship Programs
    • Visiting Scholars
    • Calendar
    • Events
    • Conferences and Courses
    • 100 Subjects in Neurosurgery
    • Submit Anonymous Feedback
  • For Healthcare Professionals
    • How to Refer a Patient
    • Clinical Updates
  • Our Expert Team
    • Affiliated Faculty
    • Joint Faculty
    • Emeritus Faculty
  • UCLA Health
  • myUCLAhealth
  • School of Medicine

UCLA Neurosurgery

About Us

About Us

About Us

  • Chair's Welcome
    • 2018 Gratitude & Year-in-Review
  • Neurosurgery Faculty
  • Our History
    • In Memoriam
  • Clinical Quality Program
    • Implementation Guide
      • Healthcare Reform from the Inside
    • Portfolio of Projects
    • UCLA Innovates HealthCare Initiative
    • Neurosurgery Quality Dashboard
  • eNewsletters
  • Innovation and Technology
  • In the News
    • Announcements
    • New Chair - Dr. Linda Liau
  • Webcasts
    • Mind Over Matter
    • Remote Presence Robots in ICU
    • Endoscopic Removal of Pituitary Tumors
    • Treatment for Cavernous Angioma
    • Hemispherectomy for Sturge-Weber Syndrome
  • Webinars
  • Giving
    • Giving Made Easy
    • Honor a Doctor
    • Finding Cures
    • Stories of Generosity
      • Art + Vision: Steve Lyons
      • $1 Million Gift Fuels the Fight Against Cancer
  • Global Neuro Health
  • Lab Party
    • 2018 LAB Party
  • Spotlights
  • Submit Anonymous Feedback (For Faculty)
  • Chair's Welcome
  • Neurosurgery Faculty
  • Our History
  • Clinical Quality Program
  • eNewsletters
  • Innovation and Technology
  • In the News
  • Webcasts
  • Webinars
  • Giving
  • Global Neuro Health
  • Lab Party
  • Spotlights
  • Submit Anonymous Feedback (For Faculty)
  • Mind Over Matter
  • Remote Presence Robots in ICU
  • Endoscopic Removal of Pituitary Tumors
  • Treatment for Cavernous Angioma
  • Hemispherectomy for Sturge-Weber Syndrome
  1. Home
  2. About Us
  3. Webcasts
  4. Treatment for Cavernous Angioma

Treatment for Cavernous Angioma

Share this

Donaven Hookano, 15 years of age, was experiencing head pain, vision loss in his left eye and convulsive seizures when Malia Solomon received the call from her son's school. The diagnosis: hemorrhaging in his brain caused by a cavernous angioma, a potentially fatal or debilitating condition. The decision was made to transfer Donaven from a Las Vegas hospital, to UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital, where he could be treated by neurosurgeon, Dr. Jorge Lazareff.

Cavernous angiomas can occur anywhere in the central nervous system and affect, 1 in 100-200 people between the ages of 20 to 30 years. About 11 percent of cases are asymptomatic, but symptoms can include weakness in the arms or legs; vision loss; balance, memory and attention problems; or headaches, seizures, stroke, and hemorrhages. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to diagnose the condition. In Donaven's case, the clusters of abnormal blood vessels made up of little bubbles (caverns), were filled with blood, causing hemorrhaging in his brain.

Dr. Lazareff and his team surgically removed the abnormal coil of blood vessels from Donaven's brain using brain mapping during a craniotomy, or opening of the skull, which is performed under general anesthesia. After nine hours of successful surgery and two days of recovery, Donaven was able to walk out of the hospital.

"I experienced the compassion and love that employees at UCLA have for their patients and family members. I have not seen this type of care in a long time. Parents should know that there is a place they can feel their child is safe and well cared for. I owe everything to Dr. Lazareff and the teams at UCLA for their support," says Malia.

The whole experience convinced Malia and her husband, Logan Hookano, to pull up their roots in Las Vegas and move to Los Angeles to be a part of the UCLA family and to help other families experience the kind of "comfort, care and love" they received from Dr. Lazareff and his team. "I would walk to the end of the world for my son, and if UCLA was in China, we would be in China now," says Logan.

Malia is now a surgical technician for UCLA's Jules Stein Eye Institute and Logan is a cook in the Department of Nutrition at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. And Donaven is a thriving teenager with his own dreams for the future. To learn more about cavernous angiomas visit the UCLA Pediatric Neurosurgery program.

Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube LinkedIn
UCLA Health hospitals ranked best hospitals by U.S. News & World Report
  • UCLA Health
  • Find a Doctor
  • School of Medicine
  • School of Nursing
  • UCLA Campus
  • Directory
  • Newsroom
  • Subscribe
  • Patient Stories
  • Giving
  • Careers
  • Volunteer
  • International Services
  • Privacy Practices
  • Nondiscrimination
  • Billing
  • Health Plans
  • Emergency
  • Report Broken Links
  • Terms of Use
  • 1-310-825-2631
  • Maps & Directions
  • Contact Us
  • Your Feedback
  • Report Misconduct
  • Get Social
  • Sitemap