Previous studies

Much research has been performed on post-operative pediatric CMS (previsouly called PFS) during the past two decades; 52 studies have been carried out and more than 170 articles have been published on the subject.

FOCUS AREAS

The neuroradiographic features, pathophysiology and symptomatic spectrum of post-operative pediatric CMS have been extensively explored in almost 50 single-center studies (37 of which were retrospective), while documentation of the roles that surgical access and techniques are thought to play is extremely sparse. No studies have ever investigated the roles that genetics or medication may play for the incidence and clinical course of the syndrome, and apart from one large single center study (Catsman-Berrevoets et al. 2009), precise incidence figures for tumor types other than medulloblastoma are lacking. 13 prospective studies have been carried out, only two of which were large, multicenter projects. 

STUDY TYPES

Below are lists of previous studies of post-operative pediatric CMS grouped by type of study (prospective/retrospective, multicenter/single-center). Each study is then presented by publication year, 1st author, duration, country, sample size, incidence and tumor types. The definitions used as a basis for calculation of incidence vary from study to study, and cannot easily be compared.

Click on the image to see larger versions of the lists. Scroll further down the page for a list of studies with primary focus on specific topics such as surgery, symptomatic spectrum, language and speech (with some overlap between the categories).

SURGERY

  • Zaheer SN, Wood M. Experiences with the telovelar approach to fourth ventricular tumors in children. Pediatr Neurosurg. 2010;46:340-343
  • Buzunov E, Ojemann JG, Robinson FR. Rhesus macaque as an animal model for posterior fossa syndrome following tumor resection. Pediatr Neurosurg. 2010;46:120-126
  •  Al-Afif S, Staden M, Krauss JK, Schwabe K, Hermann EJ. Splitting of the cerebellar vermis in juvenile rats - Effects on social behavior, vocalization and motor activity. Behav Brain Res. 2013 Aug 1;250:293-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2013.05.013. Epub 2013 May 16
  • Tomasello F, Conti A, Cardali S, Anglieri FF (2015) Telovelar Approach to Fourth Ventricle Tumors: Highlights and Limitations. World Neurosurg Jun;83(6):1141-7

symptomatic SPECTRUM

  • Beckwitt TS, Krieger MD, O'Neil S, Jubran R, Tavare CJ. Symptoms before and after posterior fossa surgery in pediatric patients. Pediatr Neurosurg. 2012;48:21-25
  • Di Rocco, Chieffo D, Frassanito P, Caldarelli M, Massimi L, Tamburrini G. Heralding cerebellar mutism: evidence for pre-surgical language impairment as primary risk factor in posterior fossa surgery. Cerebellum. 2011;10:551-562
  • Catsman-Berrevoets CE, Aarsen FK. The spectrum of neurobehavioural deficits in the Posterior Fossa Syndrome in children after cerebellar tumour surgery. Cortex. 2010;46:933-946

LANGUAGE AND SPEECH

  • De Smet HJ, Catsman-Berrevoets C, Aarsen F, Verhoeven J, Marien P, Paquier PF. Auditory-perceptual speech analysis in children with cerebellar tumours: a long-term follow-up study. Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2012;16:434-442
  • Di Rocco, Chieffo D, Frassanito P, Caldarelli M, Massimi L, Tamburrini G. Heralding cerebellar mutism: evidence for pre-surgical language impairment as primary risk factor in posterior fossa surgery. Cerebellum. 2011;10:551-562
  • Mei C, Morgan AT. Incidence of mutism, dysarthria and dysphagia associated with childhood posterior fossa tumour. Childs Nerv Syst. 2011;27:1129-1136
  • Catsman-Berrevoets CE, Aarsen FK. The spectrum of neurobehavioural deficits in the Posterior Fossa Syndrome in children after cerebellar tumour surgery. Cortex. 2010;46:933-946
  • Huber JF, Bradley K, Spiegler B, Dennis M (2007) Long-term neuromotor speech deficits in survivors of childhood posterior fossa tumors: effects of tumor type, radiation, age at diagnosis, and survival years. J Child Neurol 22:848-854
  • Robertson PL, Muraszko KM, Holmes EJ, Sposto R, Packer RJ, Gajjar A, Dias MS, Allen JC (2006) Incidence and severity of postoperative cerebellar mutism syndrome in children with medulloblastoma: a prospective study by the Children's Oncology Group. J Neurosurg 105:444-451
  • Aarsen FK, van Dongen HR, Paquier PF, van MM, Catsman-Berrevoets CE (2004) Long-term sequelae in children after cerebellar astrocytoma surgery. Neurology 62:1311-1316
  • Steinbok P, Cochrane DD, Perrin R, Price A (2003) Mutism after posterior fossa tumour resection in children: incomplete recovery on long-term follow-up. Pediatr Neurosurg 39:179-183
  • Riva D, Giorgi C (2000) The cerebellum contributes to higher functions during development: evidence from a series of children surgically treated for posterior fossa tumours. Brain 123 ( Pt 5):1051-1061
  • Catsman-Berrevoets CE, van Dongen HR, Mulder PG, Geuze D, Paquier PF, Lequin MH (1999) Tumour type and size are high risk factors for the syndrome of "cerebellar" mutism and subsequent dysarthria. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 67:755-757