title: Intracavernous granular cell tumor.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Granular cell tumors in the central nervous system are quite rare. To date, only 6 cases of granular cell tumor arising from cranial nerves have been reported in the literature. To the best of our knowledge, we present the first case of a predominant intracavernous granular-cell tumor arising from oculomotor nerve.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 42-year-old man presented with third-nerve paresis and decreased visual acuity on the left side. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a mainly intracavernous mass partially extending to the superior orbital fissure and entrance of the optic canal. Using a pterional craniotomy, the tumor was removed from within the cavernous sinus via combined superior and lateral intradural approach, and optic nerve was also decompressed. Histologically, the tumor was diagnosed as a granular cell tumor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although it is quite rare, granular cell tumor should be included into the differential diagnosis of intracavernous masses because surgical treatment is curative.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, University of Hacettepe, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Servet
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Inci
authors.forename: Salih
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gülşen
authors.forename: Figen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Söylemezoglu
authors.forename: Tulay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kansu
authors.forename: Tuncalp
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ozgen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002426:Cavernous Sinus / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003399:Craniotomy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D016586:Granular Cell Tumor / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D015840:Oculomotor Nerve Diseases / Q000209:etiology