久保田 有一
   Department   School of Medicine(Tokyo Women's Medical University Adachi Medical Center), School of Medicine
   Position   Professor
Article types Case report
Language English
Peer review Peer reviewed
Title Large facial nerve schwannomas without facial palsy: case reports and review of the literature
Journal Formal name:Neurosurgical Review volume
Abbreviation:Neurosurg Rev
ISSN code:03445607
Domestic / ForeginForegin
Publisher Springer-Verlag
Volume, Issue, Page 28(3),pp.234-238
Author and coauthor KUBOTA Yuichi, KAWAMATA Takakazu, KUBO Osami, KASUYA Hidetoshi, MURAGAKI Yoshihiro†, HORI Tomokatsu
Authorship Lead author
Publication date 2005/03/08
Summary Although approximately 30% of facial nerve schwannoma cases present with no facial palsy, a large facial nerve schwannoma extending to the middle and posterior cranial fossa quite rarely presents without facial palsy. The authors encountered two patients with large facial nerve schwannoma who presented with only hearing impairment and no facial palsy. The first patient was a 64-year-old woman who presented with right auditory impairment without facial palsy. MR images demonstrated a dumbbell-shaped tumor in the cerebellopontine angle. Another patient, a 40-year-old woman, also presented with vertigo and right tinnitus without facial palsy. MR images demonstrated a huge tumor expanding into both the posterior cranial fossa and middle cranial fossa. In both cases, intraoperative findings confirmed that the tumors had grown from the facial nerve. Facial nerve schwannoma can be easily diagnosed if detailed neurological evaluations and appropriate neuroimagings are conducted. However, in spite of such huge tumoral size and expanding pattern, the facial nerve function was relatively preserved. Anatomical features of the facial schwannoma are discussed. A tumor extending to the middle and posterior cranial fossa should remind neurosurgeons to consider facial nerve schwannomas even in the absence of facial palsy.
DOI 10.1007/s10143-005-0381-x
Document No. 15754210