Vidian nerve schwannoma with middle cranial fossa extension resected via a maxillary swing approach.
BACKGROUND
Vidian nerve schwannoma is an extremely rare type of facial nerve schwannoma. To the best of our knowledge, only 1 case has been reported.


METHODS
We report an additional case of vidian nerve schwannoma with middle cranial fossa extension in a 49-year-old Japanese woman. The surgical approaches for infratemporal fossa schwannomas are reviewed, and the maxillary swing approach we used is described.


RESULTS
We adopted a maxillary swing approach combined with endonasal endoscopic techniques for the resection of the lesion. Gross total resection was achieved without sacrificing the trigeminal nerves or the facial motor nerves. The postoperative course was uneventful.


CONCLUSIONS
Vidian nerve schwannoma is located in the retro-maxillary space. It can grow silently until it involves the median skull base extensively. The maxillary swing approach was useful in this case.
Honda
Keigo
K
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kurashiki Central Hospital, Okayama, Japan. khonda@ent.kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Asato
Ryo
R
Tanaka
Shinzo
S
Endo
Tsuyoshi
T
Nishimura
Kazunari
K
Ito
Juichi
J
D035301:Cranial Fossa, Middle / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003390:Cranial Nerve Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D005155:Facial Nerve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D019292:Skull Base Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome