2025 Poster Presentations
P071: PEDIATRIC CLIVAL CHORDOMA PRESENTING AS NASAL CONGESTION AND SLEEP DISORDERED BREATHING
Adwight Risbud, MD, MPH1; Dana Eitan, BS2; Dennis M Tang, MD1; Moise Danielpour, MD3; Abhita Reddy, MD, MBA1; 1Cedars Sinai Medical Center Division of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery; 2Creighton University School of Medicine; 3Cedars Sinai Medical Center Department of Neurosurgery
Clival chordoma is a rare, malignant skull base tumor that arises from notochordal remnants. These tumors are diagnosed more commonly in the fourth decade of life and are exceedingly uncommon in the pediatric population, accounting for 5% of all cases. They most commonly present with diplopia, headache and other symptoms of increased intracranial pressure. In this report, we describe a rare case of clival chordoma in a 12-year-old male who initially presented with nasal congestion and sleep disordered breathing. Our case underscores the importance of considering clival chordoma in the differential diagnosis of children presenting with atypical symptoms like nasal congestion and sleep disturbances, which are often initially attributed to more common otolaryngologic conditions. The successful management of our young patient highlights the pivotal role of advanced imaging techniques, meticulous surgical planning, and role of proton therapy in treating these complex tumors. Moreover, this case contributes to the growing body of literature on pediatric clival chordomas, aiding in the development of more refined diagnostic and therapeutic protocols.
