Pregnancy Promotes the Recurrence of Cerebellar Hemangioblastoma?

J Craniofac Surg. 2021 Nov-Dec;32(8):e830-e833. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000007683.

Abstract

Cerebellar hemangioblastomas with pregnancy is rare, but coexistence of pregnancy and recurrent cerebellar hemangioblastomas is rather rare. And coexistence of other diseases during pregnancy usually leads to misdiagnosis because of pregnancy reaction. A 29-year-old woman, at the 8th week of pregnancy, complained of nausea, vomiting, and episodic posterior occipital pain and was misdiagnosed pregnancy reaction without any special treatment during her several visits to local hospital. The patient was diagnosed cerebellar hemangioblastomas 14 years ago, after surgery, she received regular re-examination without recurrence. At the 15th week of pregnancy, the situation of the patient got worse, and she was admitted to our hospital. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed a lesion in cerebellum. It was considered to be cerebellar hemangioblastomas and was confirmed finally by postoperative pathological examination. In clinical practice, differential diagnosis is of great importance during pregnancy because many other diseases can mimic pregnancy reaction. In this patient, the intracranial hypertension caused by recurrent cerebellar hemangioblastomas was misdiagnosed as pregnancy reaction and it was suggested that the change of hormones, neuroendocrine, and cardiovascular function promoted the recurrence of cerebellar hemangioblastomas.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cerebellar Neoplasms* / diagnostic imaging
  • Cerebellar Neoplasms* / surgery
  • Cerebellum
  • Female
  • Hemangioblastoma* / diagnostic imaging
  • Hemangioblastoma* / surgery
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local
  • Pregnancy