Intractable Hiccups and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Attributable to Brain Tumor: A Case Report

Abstract

We report a 6-year-old girl who presented with intractable hiccups and epigastria pain. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was confirmed by esophageal pH monitoring and EGD revealed an esophageal ulcer and erosion at distal esophagus. Treatment with high dose PPI failed to reduce hiccups. MRI of brain demonstrated enhancing infiltrative lesion involved floor of forth ventricle, posterior aspect of lower pons, entire medulla, cervicomedullary junction and extended down to dorsal portion of C7 cord. This report emphasizes brain tumor as the etiology of intractable hiccups leading to severe GERD. When encountering a patient with intractable hiccups, appropriate CNS imaging studies should be included in the evaluation protocol.