Transient Cerebellar Mutism after Total Removal of Medulloblastoma in a Child: Case Report.
- Author:
Chang Bong KONG
1
;
Kyung Bo CHOI
;
Hyung Dong KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Busan, Korea.
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Mutism;
Cerebellar dysarthria;
Posterior fossa surgery;
Medulloblastoma
- MeSH:
Cerebellar Ataxia;
Cerebellar Nuclei;
Child*;
Cues;
Dysarthria;
Headache;
Humans;
Male;
Medulloblastoma*;
Mutism*;
Nausea;
Sign Language;
Vomiting
- From:Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
2002;32(4):384-386
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Transient mutism resolving to cerebellar speech after posterior fossa surgery is a well recognized phenomenon, particularly in pediatric patients. The anatomic basis for this postoperative functional change is unclear, but may reside in the dominant superior cerebellar hemisphere or the medial deep cerebellar nuclei. We report a case of a 9-year-old boy who presented for surgical resection of a medulloblastoma. Preoperatively, his complaint consisted of headache, nausea, vomiting and cerebellar ataxia. He had normal speech. At one day after operation, suddenly he was unable to speech, however, communication through a variety of verbal cues, including sign language was possible. His mutism lasted 12 days and cerebellar dysarthria was slowly resolved.
