How to deal with 4 adverse reactions to surgery for medulloblastoma

Medulloblastoma is a malignant intracranial tumor that is common in children. Its main symptoms include unexplained headache and vomiting, followed by unsteady gait, nystagmus, diplopia, etc. Surgical resection is the main method for treating medulloblastoma, but surgical treatment may cause adverse reactions such as bleeding, respiratory arrest, intracranial pneumocephalus, and hydrocephalus, which require timely and effective measures to deal with.

1. Bleeding

Bleeding is one of the most common complications of medulloblastoma and can cause more serious consequences, easily leading to acute obstructive hydrocephalus or directly compressing the medullary respiratory center, causing respiratory arrest.

Treatment method: Preoperative external ventricular drainage measures are helpful to identify postoperative bleeding. A small amount of oozing can be relieved by external ventricular drainage; if the amount of bleeding is large, a second operation must be performed to stop the bleeding.

2. Respiratory arrest

Traction or direct damage to the medullary respiratory center during surgery, or compression of the medulla by hemorrhage and edema after surgery, may cause respiratory arrest.

Treatment method: When the patient has no spontaneous breathing, tracheotomy should be performed immediately and a ventilator should be used to assist breathing.

3. Intracranial gas

Excessive loss of cerebrospinal fluid and excessive head position during surgery can cause intracranial pneumocephalus. In severe cases, tension pneumocephalus may form.

Treatment method: Mild cases of intracranial gas accumulation can be absorbed by themselves, but severe cases require puncture and deflation.

4. Hydrocephalus

Incomplete tumor resection, postoperative aqueduct adhesion, adhesion and fluid accumulation in the surgical area, postoperative infection, and brain tissue edema can cause hydrocephalus.

Treatment: When a patient develops hydrocephalus, measures can be taken to relieve the obstruction or perform a ventriculoperitoneal shunt according to the cause of the hydrocephalus.