Fatal haemorrhage in medulloblastoma following ventricular drainage. Case report and review of the literature.

Haemorrhage in medulloblastoma is reported to be very rare. The authors report a case of a 13-year-old boy who presented with headache, unsteadiness, diplopia and papilloedema due to posterior fossa medulloblastoma causing obstructive hydrocephalus. Six hours following placement of an external ventricular drain, he suddenly became comatose with respiratory arrest. The cause was marked upward herniation of the anterior vermis and downward herniation of the cerebellar tonsils due to massive spontaneous intratumoural haemorrhage extended into the ventricular system. This atypical clinical course of fatal haemorrhage in medulloblastoma after insertion of external ventricular drainage is reported and the literature discussed. Copyright 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel