Hemorrhagic necrotic schwannoma presenting as purulent meningitis.
BACKGROUND
Intracranial schwannoma involving the XIIth cranial nerve is rare. We report an unusual clinical presentation and pathological verification of a schwannoma, which had become haemorrhagic and necrotic, simulating acute purulent meningitis.


METHODS
A literature review of intracranial tumors presenting as acute purulent meningitis, with emphasis on schwannomas, was undertaken.


RESULTS
Few cases of hypoglossal schwannoma have been reported; the association with purulent meningitis has not been previously documented.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients presenting with sterile purulent meningitis, a necrotic tumor should be considered as a possible etiology.
Onyiuke
H C
HC
Division of Neurosurgery, Sunnybrook Health Centre, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
McLean
A
A
Schwartz
M
M
Louie
M
M
Ang
L C
LC
D000328:Adult; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D003390:Cranial Nerve Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007002:Hypoglossal Nerve; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008581:Meningitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009336:Necrosis; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome