Facial neuroma masquerading as acoustic neuroma

Eli T. Sayegh, Gurvinder Kaur, Michael E. Ivan, Orin Bloch, Steven W. Cheung, Andrew T. Parsa*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Facial nerve neuromas are rare benign tumors that may be initially misdiagnosed as acoustic neuromas when situated near the auditory apparatus. We describe a patient with a large cystic tumor with associated trigeminal, facial, audiovestibular, and brainstem dysfunction, which was suspicious for acoustic neuroma on preoperative neuroimaging. Intraoperative investigation revealed a facial nerve neuroma located in the cerebellopontine angle and internal acoustic canal. Gross total resection of the tumor via retrosigmoid craniotomy was curative. Transection of the facial nerve necessitated facial reanimation 4 months later via hypoglossal-facial cross-anastomosis. Clinicians should recognize the natural history, diagnostic approach, and management of this unusual and mimetic lesion.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1817-1818
Number of pages2
JournalJournal of Clinical Neuroscience
Volume21
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 1 2014

Funding

This work was supported by grants from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (E.T.S., G.K.), the National Research Education Foundation through the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (M.E.I.), the Reza and Georgianna Khatib Endowed Chair in Skull Base Tumor Surgery at UCSF (A.T.P.), and the Michael J. Marchese Professor and Chair at Northwestern University (A.T.P.).

Keywords

  • Acoustic neuroma
  • Cerebellopontine angle
  • Facial nerve neuroma
  • Facial neuroma
  • Internal acoustic canal

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Surgery
  • Neurology
  • Clinical Neurology
  • Physiology (medical)

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