Combined endovascular and surgical management of a case of Cobb syndrome

Cobb syndrome is a rare neurocutaneous disorder characterised by spinal and cutaneous vascular malformations in a metameric distribution. Managing such cases is a challenge for the interventionists and neurosurgeons as the results are often suboptimal. We describe a case of Cobb syndrome in a young male child who presented clinically with acute paraparesis and lower backache. On radiological workup, an intradural perimedullary complex spinal arteriovenous fistula was seen with presence of subarachnoid haemorrhage in the spinal canal and compressive myelopathy. There was a haemangioma in paraspinal muscles and a maculopapular cutaneous lesion in the lower back. He was treated with combined endovascular embolisation and surgical intervention and showed significant clinical improvement on follow-up.