Transient mutism following removal of cerebellar tumor in a child

ABSTRACT

to report a case of cerebellar mutism after surgery for posterior fossa tumour n a child. Mutism after posterior fossa surgery is a well described, although rare entity. Most of these tumours are located in the cerebellar vermis and/or extending to the hemispheres. The authors report a case of cerebellar mutism in a 9-year-old Moroccan boy who underwent surgical removal of a vermian medulloblastoma. The child became mute 24 hours postoperatively. He was fully alert without pyramidal signs and without lower cranial nerve palsies. His psychiatric examination was normal. The postoperative computed tomography images revealed nothing remarkable. He was mute for three weeks. Cerebellar mutism should be recognized as an important side effect of surgery