XXXX : evidence for pre-surgical @entity73 as primary risk factor in posterior fossa surgery.

@entity1 @entity73 @entity5 @entity76
The aim of this study is to identify possible risks factors for the occurrence of @entity76 ( @entity76 ) in @entity1 with @entity5 . @entity1 diagnosed with posterior fossa @entity5 consecutively admitted to our institution between 2006 and 2008 were the subjects of this prospective study. Besides standard neurological and radiological evaluations, all @entity1 underwent thorough neuropsychological assessments at admission and following surgery. @entity1 under two or older than 16  years of age and those with a severe pre-operative clinical condition precluding neuropsychological assessment were excluded. Thirty-four @entity1 met the inclusion criteria. They were divided into two groups. Group I consisted of 23 @entity1 with normal language on admission and group II had 11 @entity1 showing pre-operative @entity73 (PLI). PLI was observed in 11 @entity1 (32.4%: group II). Post-operatively, seven out of 34 @entity1 developed @entity76 (20.6%), all of them belonging to group II. In group II, indeed, the incidence of @entity76 was 63%. No case of @entity76 was observed in group I. PLI regressed after the operation in three out of the four subjects belonging to group II who did not develop @entity76 . PLI remained unchanged in the last @entity1 of this group. Posterior fossa @entity5 resection can have different effects on @entity1 with pre-existing @entity73 (PLI). PLI can be considered a subclinical state of @entity76 in some @entity1 with posterior fossa @entity5 . However, in some @entity1 with PLI, the @entity5 resection may improve the linguistic abilities, as well as the other neurocognitive performances. In the present series, @entity1 with normal pre-operative language function did not develop post-operative mutism.
