title: Ganglioneuroma of the internal auditory canal presenting as a vestibular schwannoma.
abstract: In most series, 90% of cerebellopontine angle tumors are vestibular schwannomas. Meningiomas and epidermoid tumors follow with decreased frequency. Ganglioneuroma is a benign tumor usually found in the retroperitoneum and posterior mediastinum. We report a case of a 21-year-old man with gradual sensorineural hearing loss and a minimally enhancing lesion of the internal auditory canal, which was excised through a middle fossa approach and found histologically to be a ganglioneuroma. Like vestibular schwannomas, these lesions are benign in nature and may be managed in a similar fashion, although the possibility of malignant transformation may support surgical resection over conservative management or radiosurgery. Ganglioneuromas should be considered in patients with atypical radiographic findings for vestibular schwannomas.
authors.affiliation: Section of Neurosurgery, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire.
authors.forename: Kimon
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bekelis
authors.forename: Duncan A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Meiklejohn
authors.forename: Symeon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Missios
authors.forename: Brent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Saunders
authors.forename: Kadir
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Erkmen
keywords: Ganglioneuroma; cerebellopontine angle; internal auditory canal; vestibular schwannoma