title: Symptoms before and after posterior fossa surgery in pediatric patients.
abstract: The posterior fossa syndrome (PFS) is common after cerebellar tumor resection in pediatric patients. It is characterized by postoperative mutism and ataxia and associated with persistent abnormalities in mood and cognition.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 2-year prospective study of children and adolescents with cerebellar tumors identified by neuroimaging was performed at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 8 girls and 14 boys in the study, aged 14 months to 17 years. The tumor sizes ranged from 2 to 6.5 cm in diameter. The patients presented with ataxia, headache, vomiting, depressed or irritable mood and inattention. Symptoms of PFS were present postoperatively in all except for the 2 patients with lateral tumors. The symptoms began before resection, were most prominent immediately after surgery, and improved over time. Neuropsychological assessment of 10 patients documented a persistent cognitive decrement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This small, descriptive study provides information on the natural history of pediatric posterior fossa tumors from before surgery through the postoperative period.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Calif., USA.
authors: Susan
authors: S
authors: Beckwitt Turkel
authors: Mark D
authors: MD
authors: Krieger
authors: Sharon
authors: S
authors: O'Neil
authors: Rima
authors: R
authors: Jubran
authors: C Jane
authors: CJ
authors: Tavaré
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015192:Infratentorial Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011184:Postoperative Period; D057234:Preoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D063189:Symptom Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors