Expanded endoscopic endonasal resection of an olfactory schwannoma.
Olfactory schwannomas are rare tumors of the anterior skull base that are possibly derived from ectopic Schwann cells, perivascular neural tissue, or sensory nerves of the meninges. The authors report the case of a 14-year-old boy with an olfactory schwannoma that extended inferiorly through the cranial base and superiorly into the frontal lobe. Because of the growth characteristics of the tumor and the significant overlying frontal lobe edema, the lesion was approached via an endonasal endoscopic route, as a strategy to minimize brain retraction. This tumor was characterized radiographically as contrast-enhancing with cystic areas and erosion into bone. The tumor showed immunoreactivity for S100 protein and leukocyte antigen 7 (CD57) but not epithelial membrane antigen, supporting the diagnosis of olfactory schwannoma. A gross-total resection was achieved. This approach represents a novel application of endoscopic endonasal surgery to the pediatric neurosurgical context, as well as a favorable outcome in an extremely unusual tumor type, that should be applicable to other appropriately selected pediatric brain tumors.
Kanaan
Hilal A
HA
Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
Gardner
Paul A
PA
Yeaney
Gabrielle
G
Prevedello
Daniel M
DM
Monaco
Edward A
EA
Murdoch
Geoffrey
G
Pollack
Ian F
IF
Kassam
Amin B
AB
D000293:Adolescent; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D044583:Neuroendoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D009830:Olfactory Bulb; D009833:Olfactory Pathways; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed