Cobb syndrome

Cobb syndrome is characterized by a combination of venous and arterio-venous vascular lesions of the skin with arterio-venous lesions of the muscles, medulla, bones in the same spinal segment or metamer. The distribution is not limited to just one metamer, but may affect several ones.

The resulting symptoms are similar to a chronic venous stasis of the spinal cord. Although the lower extremities are most commonly affected, the loss of circulation depends on the location of the vessel formation affected. Patients suffer from bilateral asymmetric motor and sensory deficits accompanied by sphincter disorders.

The most common cutaneous manifestations include port nevi, as well as rare angiolipomas, lymphangiomas, and angiokeratomas. The medullary lesions are manifested by arterio-venous malformations. Vascular lesions in muscles and bones often remain symptomless, but can sometimes trigger non-mechanical, localized pain.