Microvascular decompression for intractable singultus: technical case report.
OBJECTIVE
Intractable singultus is a rare but significantly disruptive clinical phenomenon that often accompanies other diseases but can present in isolation due entirely to intracranial pathology. We report a case of intractable singultus that improved after microvascular decompression and present a comprehensive review of singultus by discussing its similarity to other cases of microvascular decompression, its history and etiology, and its evolutionary basis.


METHODS
The patient exhibited intractable singultus for 15 years, resistant to multiple medical regimens.


METHODS
Microvascular decompression to relieve pressure on the tenth cranial nerve and medulla oblongata resulted in near total resolution of the singultus.


CONCLUSIONS
Neurovascular compression should be considered a potentially reversible cause of intractable singultus, a significantly disabling clinical phenomenon.
Farin
Azadeh
A
Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Southern California University Hospital, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Chakrabarti
Indro
I
Giannotta
Steven L
SL
Vaynman
Shoshanna
S
Samudrala
Srinath
S
D000328:Adult; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications; D006606:Hiccup / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000601:surgery*; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000601:surgery*