[Postoperative mutism in children with the posterior fossa tumors].

Over 10 years (1990-1999), the Pediatric Department, Ukrainian Institute of Neurosurgery named after Academician A. P. Romodanov, operated on 376 children with posterior fossa tumors. Thirty two 8.7% children developed a posterior fossa syndrome and cerebellar mutism syndrome postoperatively. This paper gives a detailed analysis of the date available in the world literature on the incidence and causes of mutism, and mechanisms of its development. Many factors predisposing to mutism were identified, but no anatomic structures responsible for its formation were found. In the authors' opinion, mutism may not result from anatomic structures, but from the functioning of afferent or efferent connections to this brain region bilaterally.