title: Microvascular decompression for intractable singultus.
abstract: Intractable singultus due to cerebrovascular disease is very rare. We report a case of intractable singultus that improved after microvascular decompression and present a literature review. The patient was a 58-year-old man with a 30-year history of persistent singultus. Its frequency and duration gradually increased and it was resistant to multiple medical treatments. Microvascular decompression to relieve pressure on the anterolateral surface of the lower medulla oblongata from the vertebral artery resulted in the resolution of singultus. Patients with intractable idiopathic singultus who fail to respond to medical therapy need to be considered for the evaluation of cerebrovascular diseases and microvascular decompression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital, 2-1-1 Higashi Tsukurimichi, Aomori 0300910, Japan. Electronic address: satsushi2002@yahoo.co.jp.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Mito Brain Heart Center, Mito, Ibaraki 310 0004, Japan.
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hatayama
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital, 2-1-1 Higashi Tsukurimichi, Aomori 0300910, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kon
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital, 2-1-1 Higashi Tsukurimichi, Aomori 0300910, Japan.
authors.forename: Taigen
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital, 2-1-1 Higashi Tsukurimichi, Aomori 0300910, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sasaki
mesh_terms: D006606:Hiccup / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000601:surgery*; D061145:Microvascular Decompression Surgery / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: Microvascular decompression; Singultus; Vertebral artery