title: Primary paraganglioma in the facial nerve canal.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe primary paraganglioma in the facial nerve canal and discuss the characteristics of facial nerve paraganglioma in contrast with other tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 23-year-old man developed gradually progressive right facial palsy as the initial symptom. One year later, he exhibited hearing loss without tinnitus in his right ear. CT demonstrated an enlarged facial nerve canal with irregular bony erosion of the circumference. MRI showed a well-enhanced heterogeneous mass with hypo-intensity spots inside it. During surgery, a blood-rich tumor was observed along the facial nerve: however, extensive bleeding interfered with tumor removal. The surgical specimen demonstrated paraganglioma. The tumor was completely removed in the second surgery in combination with arterial embolization. Facial nerve function was reconstructed with a free muscle flap more than one year following resection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because paraganglioma is a blood-rich tumor, it is important to perform angiography and embolization. If preoperative facial nerve palsy is demonstrated, careful management of facial nerve function is needed. Paraganglioma must be considered in the differential diagnosis of a facial nerve tumor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Niigata University, Faculty of Medicine, Japan. Electronic address: kuniyuki@med.niigata-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Kuniyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Niigata University, Faculty of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Niigata University, Faculty of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohshima
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Niigata University, Faculty of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Niigata University, Faculty of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Sugata
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D003390:Cranial Nerve Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D005155:Facial Nerve Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010235:Paraganglioma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Facial palsy; Glomus faciale; Paraganglioma