title: Management of facial nerve schwannoma: A single institution experience.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  Difficulties in diagnosis, conservative initial steps in the management algorithm and intraoperative risks for facial nerve (FN) injury are divisive features for this tumour entity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to investigate the management and outcome of FN schwannomas (FNSs) at a tertiary referral centre and academic institution in a 30-year material.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on age, sex, symptoms, tumour location, histopathological characteristics, imaging, management and outcome were retrospectively recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten cases (six males, 60%), with a median age of 34.5 years (range 19-75 years) were identified. Five of the patients had intact FN function at the time of diagnosis. Five of the tumours were intraparotid and five were located in the temporal bone. Preoperative fine needle aspirations were non-diagnostic in all of the four patients presenting with a parotid mass. Nine patients were managed surgically. One patient is currently under conservative follow-up for a parotid schwannoma (diagnosed with magnetic resonance imaging) with intact FN function. No malignant schwannomas were encountered. The clinical outcome and histology will be discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland. leif.back@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: Leif
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bäck
authors.forename: Tero
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Heikkilä
authors.forename: Fabricio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Passador-Santos
authors.forename: Riste
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saat
authors.forename: Ilmo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Leivo
authors.forename: Antti A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Mäkitie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D003390:Cranial Nerve Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D005154:Facial Nerve; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult