Cerebellar mutism following head trauma: A case report and literature review

Cerebellar mutism (CM) is defined as the lack of speech production, despite an intact state of consciousness and cognitive function, that happens secondary to a cerebellar insult. To the best of our knowledge, only five cases have thus far been described in the English literature. In this paper, we report the sixth incidence overall, which is also the first case of a CM associated with penetrating head injury. The relevant literature is reviewed and analyzed, our current knowledge of the neuroanatomical and functional relations is summarized, and potential future research endeavors are indicated.

An 8-year-old girl was transferred to our hospital having had fallen on a rod that penetrated her neck behind the ear. An urgent computed tomography scan of the head revealed a right cerebellar contusion with surrounding edema. Three days later, she became mute but was still obeying commands. Repeat imaging showed a resolving cerebellar contusion with increased edema and mass effect. By day 9, she had uttered a few words. At 1-month follow-up, the child had regained normal speech.

Posttraumatic CM is a rare and probably underreported condition with only six documented cases to date. Although it may well be on the same spectrum as postoperative CM, further understanding of the exact mechanism, clinical course, and prognosis of this entity is bound to significantly improve the recovery and quality of life of head trauma patients.