[Ganglioglioma of the medulla oblongata: case report and review of the literature].

Abstract

The authors present a pediatric case of ganglioglioma occurring in the medulla oblongata. A 7-year-old boy was referred to our hospital with complaints of ataxia, seizure and sleep apnea. MRI of the brain disclosed a large tumor occupying the medulla oblongata, and the upper portion of the cervical spinal cord was also involved. The patient underwent midline suboccipital craniotomy and laminectomy of C1 to attempt radical resection of the tumor, which resulted only in partial removal of the tumor due to severe bradycardia during the operation. The histological diagnosis was ganglioglioma, WHO grade 2. Although both radiotherapy and chemotherapy were performed following the operation, the tumor remained unchanged. The patient died of respiratory arrest five months after the operation. Gangliogliomas usually occur in the supratentorial region, which permits easy surgical access and good prognosis. Only 3% of gangliogliomas occur in the brain stem, and its management can be challenging because of the difficulty of radical resection and poor response to both radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

• Authors: Hideyuki Akiyama, Satoshi Nakamizo, Atsushi Kawamura, Tatsuya Nagashima, Daiichirou Hasegawa, Yoshiyuki Kosaka, Makiko Yoshida
• Journal: No shinkei geka. Neurological surgery (No Shinkei Geka) Vol. 34 Issue 12 Pg. 1255-60 (Dec 2006) ISSN: 0301-2603 [Print] Japan
• PMID: 17154072 (Publication Type: Case Reports, English Abstract, Journal Article)

Topics

• Brain Neoplasms (diagnosis, surgery)
• Child
• Ganglioglioma (diagnosis, surgery)
• Humans
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Male
• Medulla Oblongata