[A case of spontaneous pontine hematoma in patient suspected of pontine glioma and multiple sclerosis (author's transl)].

A case of spontaneous pontine hematoma in young boy, with remitting and relapsing clinical course of up to 11 years, suspected of having pontine glioma or multiple sclerosis is reported. Differential diagnosis of these are mentioned with reference to our cases of pontine glioma. This patient was a man aged 16. At 5 years of age he had his first episode of double vision. 20 days after first episode, gait disturbance, left facial palsy and consciousness disturbance developed. Neurological and neuroradiological examination revealed a pontine glioma and radiotherapy was administered. All signs and symptoms resolved except for bilateral abducens palsy. Four months later, he again complained of gait disturbance and facial palsy. Examination revealed bilateral conjugate ocular palsy, left facial palsy and cerebellar ataxia. These symptoms again resolved spontaneously, except for bilateral abducens palsy. At age 16 years, having been asymptomatic for 10 years, he suddenly noticed loss of taste. At that time sensory disturbance of the left side of himself, right hearing disturbance, dysarthria and retardation urinae. Neurological examination revealed bilateral optic atropy, bilateral abducens palsy, left facial palsy, right hyperacuisis, dysarthria, left hemiparesis, hypesthesia of the left side of the body and left cerebellar ataxia. The vertebral angiography was no evidences of mass lesion and vascular anomalies. The computed tomography demonstrated a pontine hematoma. Conservative therapy was performed and these symptoms cleared off except for bilateral abducens palsy.