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Case Reports
. 2014 Feb 17:5:18.
doi: 10.4103/2152-7806.127257. eCollection 2014.

Giant clival chordoma causing pathological laughter

Daniel Andrade Gripp  1 , Antonio Aversa do Souto  1 , Douglas Gonsales  1 , Marcio de Miranda Chaves Christiani  1 , Janio Nogueira  1 , Helio Ferreira Lopes  1 , Yasmine Coura Torres  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Giant clival chordoma causing pathological laughter

Daniel Andrade Gripp et al. Surg Neurol Int. .

Abstract

Background: Chordomas are rare slowly growing tumors that originate from remnants of the notochord. They have a malignant local behavior, causing symptoms due to bone infiltration and compression of neurovascular structures. Only a few cases of brain tumors associated with pathological laughter have been reported in the literature.

Case description: We report a case of a 42-year-old male patient with this atypical clinical presentation treated at our institution, and discuss the concerning literature.

Conclusion: Although being a very rare presentation of chordomas, pathological laughter is usually expected to improve after brain stem decompression.

Keywords: Chordoma; clivus; pathological laughter.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
T1 MRI imaging showing clival lesion, osseous destruction and brain stem displacement
Figure 2
Figure 2
T1 postcontrast MRI imaging showing sphenoid sinus invasion
Figure 3
Figure 3
Postoperative scan showing radical tumor resection
Figure 4
Figure 4
Sagittal postoperative scan showing brain stem decompression
Figure 5
Figure 5
Axial postoperative MRI T1 imaging showing no signs of recurrent tumor
Figure 6
Figure 6
Sagittal MRI T1 imaging showing residual fat and no signs of tumor recurrence
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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