ABSTRACT
Facial schwannoma is a relatively rare but well documented lesion, presenting either as a mass or with facial nerve symptoms. In this report, an extensive facial schwannoma, extending from the brain stem to the periphery with minimal facial nerve symptoms and normal facial function is presented.
Subject(s)
Cranial Nerve Neoplasms/diagnosis , Facial Nerve Diseases/diagnosis , Neurilemmoma/diagnosis , Adult , Cranial Nerve Neoplasms/physiopathology , Facial Nerve/physiopathology , Facial Nerve Diseases/physiopathology , Female , Humans , Neurilemmoma/physiopathologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To describe the special features of surgical removal of tumours of the skull base and to review a series of patients treated for skull base tumours. DESIGN: A retrospective review of patients followed up for between six months and six years. SETTING: A unit specialising in surgery of the skull base at a tertiary referral centre. PATIENTS: Sixty-six patients with skull base tumours were referred to the unit between February 1984 and December 1989. INTERVENTIONS: Fifty-six of the patients underwent complete or partial surgical removal of the tumour. Radiotherapy was used as primary treatment in 10 patients, for tumour recurrence in four patients and as adjuvant postoperative treatment in 10 patients. RESULTS: In the majority of patients the tumours were benign and have been controlled or are considered cured. Of the seven patients with malignant tumours five have died and two are long-term survivors (one has multiple metastases). Three patients with histologically "benign" tumours died of multiple metastases. There have been a total of 10 deaths in the series but only one occurred in the perioperative period. Cranial nerve palsy was the major postoperative complication. CONCLUSION: Modern microsurgical techniques and modern anaesthesia and intensive care skills lead to a cure in many patients with skull base tumours previously considered inoperable.
Subject(s)
Petrous Bone/surgery , Skull Neoplasms/surgery , Temporal Bone/surgery , Follow-Up Studies , Glomus Tumor/radiotherapy , Glomus Tumor/surgery , Humans , Meningioma/surgery , Neoplasm Metastasis , Retrospective Studies , Skull Neoplasms/radiotherapySubject(s)
Deafness/therapy , Adult , Aged , Child , Cochlear Implants , Deafness/diagnosis , Deafness/etiology , Diagnosis, Differential , Drug Therapy , Hearing Aids , Humans , Middle Ear Ventilation , TympanoplastySubject(s)
Biofeedback, Psychology , Electromyography , Tinnitus/therapy , Awareness , Humans , Tinnitus/psychologySubject(s)
Thyroid Diseases/complications , Vocal Cord Paralysis/etiology , Adult , Humans , Male , ThyroidectomyABSTRACT
A perilymph leak into the middle ear through a ruptured round window membrane results in the symptoms of hearing loss, tinnitus and vertigo, either singly or in combination. The case histories of thirteen patients with such a fistula are described, these patients having in common a predisposing incident which had led to a rise of C.S.F. pressure. Symptomatology and the results of investigation are analysed and operative technique and results discussed. While it appears that vertigo uniformly responds very satisfactorily to operative treatment the improvement in hearing loss and tinnitus is more difficult to predict.
Subject(s)
Ear Diseases , Ear, Middle , Adolescent , Adult , Craniocerebral Trauma/complications , Deafness/etiology , Diving , Ear Diseases/diagnosis , Ear Diseases/etiology , Ear Diseases/surgery , Female , Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced/complications , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Postoperative Complications , Rupture, Spontaneous , Tinnitus/etiology , Tympanoplasty , Vertigo/etiology , Vomiting/complicationsABSTRACT
A case of non-chromaffin paraganglioma of the nasopharynx is presented. Previously reported cases are discussed and classified, and theories of origin are reviewed in the light of new evidence suggesting a common origin for this rare tumour and juvenile angiofibroma of the nasopharynx.
