Cerebellar mutism following posterior fossa tumor resection in children.

AIM Cerebellar mutism is a documented complication of posterior fossa surgery in pediatric ages. Risk factors such as the type of tumor, size, and location of tumor, hyrdrocephalus, postoperative cerebellar swelling for cerebellar mutism were investigated in this study. MATERIAL AND METHODS A consecutive series of 32 children with a cerebellar tumor were operated on at the Haseki Educational and Research Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, between 1990 and 2005. Their speech and neuroradiological studies were systematically analysed both preoperatively and postoperatively RESULTS Cerebellar mutism developed in ten children (32%) in the early postoperative period. The type of tumor, midline localization, and vermian incision were significant single independent risk factors. In addition, an interdependency of possible risk factors (tumor > 5 cm, medulloblastoma) was found. The latency for the development of mutism ranged from 0 to 90 days (mean 15.6 d). The speech returned to normal in eight patients. All cases were accompanied by cerebellar ataxia. CONCLUSION Mutism after posterior fossa tumor resection is also associated with ataxia. Cerebellar mutism usually has a self-limiting course and a favorable prognosis.