Transient mutism after anterior transcallosal approach

Abstract

Postoperative mutism is an infrequent complication of brain surgery. We report a third ventricular astrocytoma in a 16-year-old boy. The tumor was totally removed via anterior transcallosal approach. The operation was uneventful. On the second postoperative day he became mute. He could follow verbal commands, and write and read. Histopathological examination revealed a pilocystic astrocytoma. Four days postoperatively, he began to say simple words, and two weeks later he could talk normally. The possible cause and pathophysiological mechanism of mutism in the lesions of this region are discussed in this paper

Key words: Mutism; Third ventricle; Corpus callosum; Transcallosal approach