Hiccup can be regarded as a failure of the usual alternating excitation-inhibition between glottis closure and inspiration. The coordinating center is located in the brain-stem reticular formation. A wide variety of pathological conditions can cause intractable hiccup: myocardial infarction, brain tumor, renal failure, prostate cancer, abdominal surgery, etc. Stroke is an unusual cause of intractable hiccup. Intractable hiccup is rare but disabling condition which can induce depression, weight loss, sleep deprivation, and even death. Etiological treatment is not always available and intractable hiccup treatment has classically relied on metoclopramide and chlorpromazine. We experienced a case of intractable hiccup induced by multiple cerebral infarct, and we present this rare case with the review of literature. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2002; 26: 806-810)
