Giant ocular nerve neurofibroma of the cavernous sinus: a series of 5 cases.

ABSTRACT

Five cases of giant cavernous sinus neurofibroma arising from the ocular cranial nerves are reported. These patients collected over a period of 5 years consisted of 3 males and 2 females with an age range of 9 to 40 years and a mean of 20.6 years. Clinically, all patients presented with ocular palsies over a long period (mean 3.4 years). All of them underwent a frontotemporal craniotomy along with an orbito-zygomatic osteotomy and excision of the tumour. In patients with extension of the tumour into the orbit, the superior orbital fissure was drilled, the tenon's capsule was cut and the intraorbital portion was excised. The management of these tumours is discussed and the literature reviewed.