Subcortical language localization using sign language and awake craniotomy for dominant posterior temporal glioma resection in a hearing-impaired patient

Abstract

Intraoperative direct cortical stimulation (DCS) is the gold standard technique to maximize the extent of resection of tumors located in eloquent areas. To date, there are three cases reported of awake mapping for language centers in deaf patients who could communicate only with sign language. We present the case of DCS in a deaf patient who could communicate vocally, native to American Sign Language and English, that underwent intraoperative awake mapping. DCS showed similar disruption of expressive phonology to both pictorial and gestural stimuli, confirming that sign language follows the same pattern as oral language.

Keywords: Awake mapping; Hearing-impaired patient; Intraoperative direct cortical stimulation; Sign language.