Central nervous system tumor (peds)
Revision as of 18:42, 14 September 2019 by ClaireLewis (talk | contribs)
For adult patients, see also brain tumor
Background
- 2nd most common pediatric cancer (20%)
Clinical Features
- Depends on location
- Posterior Fossa
- Headache
- Early morning (sleep > hypoventilation > hypercarbia > increases CNS blood flow > increased ICP)
- Red flags also include headaches that are worse with valsalva, wakes from sleep, occur daily
- Effortless vomiting
- Cranial nerve palsies (especially 6th nerve)
- Headache
- Brainstem
- Cranial nerve palsies (facial weakness, abducens palsy, dysphagia), ataxia
- Supratentorial
- Sellar
- Visual changes, hypothalamic dysfunction (diabetes insipidus, stunted growth, hypothyroidism)
- Posterior Fossa
- Increased ICP features
- Features of elevated ICP (from cerebral edema, tumor bleed, or mass effect
- Headache (from increased pressure on heavily innervated meninges)
- Red flags: worse in the morning, worse with valsalva, wakes from sleep, daily
- Nausea/vomiting
- Also typically worse in the morning
- Papilledema, dilated optic nerve
- Cushing's triad: Bradycardia, hypertension, irregular respirations
- Bulging fontanelle in infants
- Headache (from increased pressure on heavily innervated meninges)
- Seizure
- Altered mental status, irritability, coma
Differential Diagnosis
Pediatric Headache
- Primary headache
- Secondary headache
Evaluation
Management
- Increased ICP
- Benzodiazepines +/- AEDs if actively seizing
- Dexamethasone(reduce tumor capillary permeability, inflammatory cytotoxicity)- 1mg/yr of age (max 10mg)
- Do NOT give if CNS lymphoma is in the differential
- Elevate head of bed to 30 degrees, provide adequate sedation in intubated patients
- Maintain cerebral perfusion (euvolemia, vasopressors if necessary)
- Consider osmotherapy (e.g. hypertonic saline, mannitol)