[Cystic bulbar hemangioblastoma]

Hemangioblastomas are neoplasm of vascular type having benign characteristics. They represent between 2-3% of brain tumors and 7-12% of neoformative processes in the posterior fossa. The first description of the disease goes back to the year 1904, when Eugene von Hippel made the description of retinal haemangioblastoma.

A male patient of 41 years-old who went to his doctor after three weeks of having intermittent episodes of hiccups. In the neurological examination the presence of left thoracic-abdominal hypoesthesia was shown. Brain tumor was diagnosed by neuroimage techniques. It was well defined, cystic and placed in bulbar region. Surgical approach was carried out by means of suboccipital craniectomy, with the complete removal of the lesion. The histological study confirmed the hemangioblastoma diagnosis. The patient evolved satisfactory, without presenting new neurological symptoms.

The most frecuent localization of hemangioblastomas is in vermix and cerebellum hemispheres. The bulbar localization is infrequent (which represents less percentage than 5% of cerebral hemangioblastomas) likewise the clinical manifestation though hiccups.