Suffering from auditory hallucinations and epilepsy due to a rare tumor hidden deep in the brain

The timely decision to have surgery at FV Hospital helped him make a miraculous recovery, returning to normal life after only 4 days.

Mắc chứng ảo thanh, động kinh vì u hiếm ẩn sâu trong não - Ảnh 1.

Thought to have a heart attack, turned out to have a rare tumor in the brain

Recently, Mr. SF (63 years old, Australian) has been facing severe chest pains. Initially, he went to a large private hospital for examination. The results of cardiovascular tests were completely normal, but when taking an additional MRI of the brain, the doctors discovered a small tumor and diagnosed that the chest pain could be a manifestation caused by epilepsy.

He was prescribed medication to control his seizures and was told to limit many daily activities: no swimming, no climbing, and especially no driving for at least 6 months. However, feeling that this solution was only "treating the symptoms" and ignoring the brain tumor, Mr. F. decided to go to FV Hospital for a more thorough assessment and treatment.

Doctor CKII Tran Luong Anh - Head of the Department of Neurosurgery and Spine - after examining and analyzing the results, determined that the patient had a rare cavernous hemangioma , located in the hippocampus in the temporal region - the area that regulates the function of quick memory.

"This is a congenital vascular tumor , which usually only shows symptoms when there is bleeding or when it is large . Because it is located in a very important position in the brain, once it bleeds, the tumor will cause epileptic seizures , " Dr. Luong Anh explained.

Mắc chứng ảo thanh, động kinh vì u hiếm ẩn sâu trong não - Ảnh 2. — MRI image of a 9x14mm vascular tumor "hidden" in an extremely sensitive location, up to 5cm deep in the cerebral cortex

This tumor caused visceral epilepsy - a form of epilepsy that causes the patient to feel convulsions inside the body, especially in the heart area. At the same time, he also experienced a series of cognitive disorders: severe hallucinations, auditory hallucinations (hearing strange sounds in the ears), and even visual hallucinations (seeing images that do not exist). At its peak, in just 2 days, June 17 and 18, Mr. F. experienced 5 consecutive epileptic seizures, accompanied by increasingly severe dizziness and hallucinations.

"If the root cause of the bleeding tumor is not detected and treated promptly, the patient may be misdiagnosed with a mental disorder - leading to incorrect treatment , endangering the patient's life , " Dr. Luong Anh emphasized.

Finding and removing dangerous brain tumors as small as peas

Fearing that the tumor might bleed more severely and cause unpredictable complications, Mr. F. decided to agree to urgent surgery. Dr. Tran Luong Anh - Head of the Department of Neurosurgery and Spine, FV Hospital immediately carefully reviewed the entire medical record and made a detailed surgical plan for the patient.

The tumor, although only 9x14mm, was "hidden" 5cm deep in the cerebral cortex - an extremely sensitive location. Just a small deviation in the operation could cause serious damage to the surrounding brain area. This was the biggest challenge of the surgery: how to find the exact "coordinates" of the tumor and remove it without destroying the healthy brain tissue responsible for the patient's memory.

Dr. Luong Anh applies the "mini open" method - opening the skull with an extremely small incision, minimizing damage. Supporting him is a modern Navigation system, which acts as a "GPS" in brain surgery. Thanks to that, the doctor can insert a small surgical tube straight to the tumor, reaching every millimeter precisely.

Mắc chứng ảo thanh, động kinh vì u hiếm ẩn sâu trong não - Ảnh 3. — Doctor Tran Luong Anh performs brain tumor surgery on patient

The difficulties do not stop there. During surgery, the brain can "shift" due to changes in intracranial pressure and cerebrospinal fluid flow, causing the positioning data from the preoperative MRI to be at risk of being distorted. This is where the experience and hands of the surgeon are crucial, because even a slight slip can leave serious sequelae.

The Navigation system has become a powerful assistant, helping the surgery to take place with absolute precision. After nearly 2 hours of "brain-weighing", the tumor was finally completely removed. The result was a miracle: the epileptic seizures, hallucinations and organ spasms completely disappeared. Only 4 days later, Mr. F. was discharged from the hospital in good health and returned to normal life.

"The doctor is very good! I am lucky to choose FV"

Having had many surgeries in his life - wisdom teeth extraction, three knee surgeries, appendectomy - but this is the first time talking about brain surgery , Mr. F. felt really scared.

" When I came to FV, I was very worried. But the way the doctor talked to me and explained clearly each risk and each treatment step made me feel more secure. I thought about postponing the surgery, even going back to Australia for treatment, but when I heard the doctor analyze the serious risks if the epilepsy recurred, I decided to have surgery immediately , " Mr. F. recalled.

Mắc chứng ảo thanh, động kinh vì u hiếm ẩn sâu trong não - Ảnh 4. — Mr. F. had a follow-up visit with Dr. Luong Anh and his health condition is stable.

The moment he woke up after the surgery, he burst into happiness: the convulsions and hallucinations that had haunted him for so long had almost disappeared immediately . "I think I was lucky to choose FV. Everything here is great. The doctors are very good, the staff is dedicated, everyone cares for me like family. I am truly happy," he shared during his follow-up visit in early August.

Dr. Tran Luong Anh is one of the leading experts in the field of brain and spine surgery. He always prioritizes minimally invasive surgery, helping patients reduce pain, recover quickly and preserve maximum brain function. Along with that, the modern equipment system at FV is a "powerful assistant", helping surgeons achieve high precision in difficult cases, bringing optimal results for patients.

To see Dr. Tran Luong Anh for diseases of the spine and brain, please contact the Department of Neurosurgery and Spine , FV Hospital , hotline: (028) 35113333.