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Case Reports
. 2020 Jul;10(3):e262-265.
doi: 10.1055/s-0040-1715162. Epub 2020 Sep 2.

Neonatal Cerebellar Hemorrhage and Facial Nerve Palsy: An Unusual Association

Affiliations
Case Reports

Neonatal Cerebellar Hemorrhage and Facial Nerve Palsy: An Unusual Association

Caterina Coviello et al. AJP Rep. 2020 Jul.

Erratum in

Abstract

Cerebellar hemorrhage is rare in term newborns and is most often seen after traumatic birth. Lifelong sequelae include motor and cognitive impairment. We report the uncommon case of a late preterm infant born by spontaneous delivery who showed right peripheral facial palsy at 24 hours of life. Cranial ultrasound showed lateral ventricles dilatation and a diffuse hyperechoic round lesion in the right cerebellar hemisphere. The computed tomography scan confirmed a hemorrhagic lesion in the right cerebellar hemisphere and in the vermis with midline shift and intraventricular bleeding. Ommaya reservoir was inserted and used for a few days. The facial palsy gradually recovered to a complete remission after 6 weeks. Follow-up examinations at 12 and 18 months evidenced infant's delayed motor function, hyperreflexia, tremors, and speech delay.

Keywords: cerebellar hemorrhage; facial palsy; infant.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest None declared.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Cranial ultrasound (Sonos 7500, Philips, Amsterdam, The Netherlands) through the anterior ( A ) or mastoid fontanelle ( B ) showing dilatation of both lateral ventricles and a diffuse hyperechoic round lesion on the right cerebellar hemisphere (arrow).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Axial views of CT scan showing hyperdense round lesion on the right cerebellar hemisphere ( A ), ventricular dilatation, and intraventricular bleeding ( B ) (arrows). CT, computed tomography.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Postintervention MRI at 10 days of life. T2-weighted axial ( A, B ) and midsagittal view ( C ), showing huge round hypointense bleeding causing shift of the midline with involvement of the vermis and ventricular bleeding (arrows). MRI, magnetic resonance imaging.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
MRI T2-weighted axial ( A–C ) and midsagittal view ( D ) scans at 6 months showing an isolated substance defect of the right cerebellar hemisphere and of the vermis, and ventricular dilatation (arrows). MRI, magnetic resonance imaging.

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