title: Intractable hiccups caused by syringobulbia and syringomyelia associated with intramedullary spinal hemangioblastoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hiccups caused by a neoplasm in the spinal cord are rare.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a case of intractable hiccups caused by syringobulbia and syringomyelia associated with cervical intramedullary spinal hemangioblastoma, which was successfully treated by surgical excision. A 60-year-old man was referred from the neurology department after presenting with hiccups for 1 year. The hiccups were aggravated 3 months ago and were sustained during eating or sleeping. Several doctors administered a muscle relaxant and an anticonvulsant, but they were ineffective. Spinal MRI revealed a huge syringomyelia from C2 to T2, associated with a highly enhancing intramedullary mass lesion at the C5 level. The hiccups were ceased after removal of the tumor through a right hemilaminectomy. The pathology of the specimen was hemangioblastoma. The size of the syringobulbia and syringomyelia decreased markedly on MRI checked 5 months after surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intractable hiccups can be caused by syringobulbia associated with an intramedullary cord tumor in the cervical area and possible mechanisms of hiccups were reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, 1174 Jung-1-dong, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon, Gyunggi, 424-767, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Je Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Soo-Bin
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Im
authors.forename: Dong-Seong
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Sun-Chul
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Bum-Tae
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D018325:Hemangioblastoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D006606:Hiccup / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D013595:Syringomyelia / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery