Diagnosis and endoscopic management of sinonasal schwannomas

Sinonasal Schwannoma: A Case Report

Schwannomas are benign tumours of the peripheral nerve sheath that can develop anywhere in the body. In the nasal cavity, they hardly ever happen. Lesions known as paranasal schwannomas make up fewer than 4% of all head and neck schwannomas. Here, we present a case of sinonasal schwannoma in a 24-year-old male who had been experiencing nasal obstruction and loss of sense of smell for the previous 2 years. The lump was successfully removed without any postoperative complications.

Nasal Cavity Schwannoma-A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Schwannomas are rare slow-growing benign tumors arising from Schwann cells lining the nerve sheaths. Head and neck schwannomas account for about one-third of all cases, and only 4% of them arise from the sinonasal tract. Its diagnosis is based on histology and immunohistochemistry. Complete surgical excision is the most recommended treatment option, and endoscopic surgery has been widely performed in recent years. In this study, we presented a case of a 55-year-old female with schwannoma arising from the lateral wall of the nasal cavity, causing epistaxis and rhinorrhea. The patient underwent endoscopic excision with prompt resolution of symptoms. The reported cases of nasal cavity schwannoma were reviewed and summarized for educational purposes.

Endoscopic Management of Ethmoidal Schwannoma: A Case Report

Schwannomas of sinonasal origin are rare tumours with an incidence as low as 4% and may present with a wide range of clinical features. Due to non-specific endoscopic and radiological findings, diagnosis becomes difficult. We present a case of an ethmoidal schwannoma with nasal and nasopharyngeal extension in an elderly female patient who had a slow course of the long-standing disease. Her main complaints were nasal obstruction, nasal discharge, mouth breathing, snoring and recurrent nasal bleed. Nasal endoscopy showed a pale, firm, polypoidal mass with dilated vessels on the surface which bled on probing. It was a non-enhancing sinonasal mass with scalloping of adjacent paranasal sinuses and erosion of posterior nasal septum on contrast-enhanced computed tomography. Endoscopic excision of the mass was done in toto and histopathology report confirmed it as schwannoma. Long standing sinonasal masses especially in the elderly age group with an indolent medical history should arise suspicion of benign neoplasm especially schwannomas due to their high rate of incidence amongst benign sinonasal neoplasms.

Pterygopalatine fossa schwannoma-case report and literature review

INTRODUCTION

Schwannomas are well-differentiated, benign tumours that originate from the Schwann cells of nerve sheaths. They constitute 25-45% of all the head and neck tumours and can cause significant morbidity depending on the site of origin. The pterygopalatine fossa is the rarest site of involvement, with only a few cases reported in the literature.

CASE PRESENTATION

This is the case of a 46-year-old male who presented with a twelve [12] month history of left-sided facial pain and progressive swelling. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a large soft tissue lesion located in the left pterygopalatine fossa (PPF). Surgical management is presented, and technical details of the repair are discussed. At one year follow-up, there were no signs of recurrence, and the cosmetic outcome was satisfactory.

DISCUSSION

This case is one of a handful of reported cases of PPF schwannomas in the English literature. Although a significant percentage of schwannomas arise in the head and neck region, the pterygopalatine fossa is the rarest site of involvement. Due to its clinically inaccessible location and complex connections, the pterygopalatine fossa can act as a natural conduit for the spread of inflammatory and neoplastic diseases in the head and neck.

CONCLUSION

Currently, the endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) is preferred due to its safety and good oncologic outcome. There is also decreased morbidity as it is minimally invasive. Furthermore, surgeons embarking on the EEA should be equipped with an image guidance system and be trained in advanced endoscopic techniques. However, the open approach remains a reliable and proven surgical method to treat large tumours located within this intricate and inaccessible area.

Neurilemmoma of the Nasal Cavity and Paranasal Sinuses

OBJECTIVES

Neurilemmoma in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses is very rare. The study aimed to improve the understanding of neurilemmoma in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The clinical data of 10 patients with neurilemmoma in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses treated from January 2014 to June 2019 in our hospital were retrospectively studied.

RESULTS

There were 6 females and 4 males patients in our study. The mean age was 49.5 years (range 37-77 years), and the most common clinical symptom was unilateral nasal obstruction. The site of tumor included the nasal cavity, maxillary sinus, ethmoid sinus, and sphenoid sinus. There were 2 cases with malignant neurilemmoma. Nine patients underwent functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS); however, 1 patient underwent FESS combined with the lateral rhinotomy for complete resection of the tumor. Two patients with malignant neurilemmoma received postoperative radiotherapy. The mean follow-up was 3.82 years (range 2-7 years). There were no incidences of tumor recurrence during the study period.

CONCLUSIONS

Neurilemmoma in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses is a mainly benign tumor. Complete surgical excision by FESS is the only treatment option for neurilemmoma in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses; while malignant neurilemmoma needs postoperative radiotherapy.

A Rare and Unexpected Reason for Unilateral Epistaxis: Nasal Septal Schwannoma

Nasal septal schwannoma is a rare tumor. It causes complaints such as nasal congestion, nosebleeds, and headaches. There are many diseases such as nasal polyps, antrochoanal polyp, chronic rhinosinusitis, concha bullosa, inverted papilloma, and retention cyst with schwannoma diagnosis. The diagnosis is made histopathologically, and the treatment is surgery. In this case report, we presented a male patient with septal schwannoma who had nasal obstruction for a year and reviewed the last 20 years of literature on nasal schwannoma.

Large Sinonasal Schwannoma with Skull Base Defect: A Case Report

Unilateral sinonasal masses account for 6% of all paranasal sinus pathologies. We are reporting a case of nasoethmoidal schwannoma with a large skull base defect. The lesion was removed endoscopically along with repair of the defect. We are highlighting the challenges faced in diagnosis and mangement of this case with an emphasis that these tumours should be considered as one of the differential diagnosis in presence of a unilateral nasal mass.

Atypical presentation of cystic schwannoma of the sphenoid sinus: a nonsolitary mass with osseous, intracranial and cavernous sinus invasion

Although nearly half of all schwannomas involve the head and neck region, nasal and paranasal sinus presentations are quite rarely seen. Cystic schwannoma, characterized by cyst formation lined by S-100 protein positive membrane-like structures is very uncommonly seen in sphenoid sinus with only a single previously reported case. Here we report a young patient of cystic schwannoma of the paranasal sinuses having epicenter in the sphenoid sinus. The tumor had caused extensive erosion of the skull base and paranasal sinuses and extended intracranially that radiologically mimicked as infected mucocele causing loss of vision. This case denotes the aggressive behavior of such uncommon tumors.

Sinonasal Schwannoma - A Case Report

Schwannomas are benign peripheral nerve sheath tumours that may occur throughout the body. They rarely occur in the nasal cavity. Paranasal schawannomas are uncommon lesions, representing less than 4% of all head and neck schawannomas. Here we report a case of sinonasal schwannoma in a 35-year-old man who presented with a history of nasal blockage since two years. The mass was removed successfully without any postoperative complication and there was no recurrence within a year of follow up.

Schwannoma Originating From the Nasal Septum

Schwannomas are benign tumors deriving from Schwann cells of the nerve sheath. They can occur in all parts of the body. Involvement of the nasal septum is quite rare, with only few cases having been reported in the literature. The authors present a patient with a unilateral tumor diagnosed as a schwannoma of the nasal septum.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Features of Schwannoma of the Sinonasal Tract

PURPOSE

The purpose of the study was to explore the characteristic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of schwannoma of the sinonasal tract.

METHODS

Eighteen patients with histopathologically confirmed sinonasal schwannoma underwent conventional MRI, and 12 had dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI studies synchronously. The morphology feature, signal intensity, enhancement degree, and time intensity curve (TIC) pattern of schwannomas were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS

This entity appeared as a well-circumscribed, oval or fusiform soft tissue mass with a mean greatest diameter of 38 mm. Schwannomas exhibited isointense on T1-weighted image in 12 patients and hypointense in 6. On T2-weighted image, the lesions were heterogeneously isointense in 14 patients and hyperintense in 4. The lesions had heterogeneously moderate and marked contrast enhancement in 2 and 16, respectively. The mottled-, island-, and multicyst-like appearance were identified in 3, 4, and 11, respectively. Compared with inverted papilloma and lobular capillary hemangioma, the type I TIC is characteristic of schwannoma.

CONCLUSIONS

A well-circumscribed mass displaying T2 intermediate signal intensity, marked enhancement, and type I TIC, with cystic changes, strongly suggests the diagnosis of sinonasal schwannoma.

Role of endoscopic surgery in the management of sinonasal and skull base schwannomas

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to report our experience with the endoscopic management of sinonasal schwannomas, analyzing the advantages, limitations, and outcomes of the technique.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was carried out on 11 patients treated endoscopically between 2000 and 2014 at a single institution.

RESULTS

Eight patients underwent an exclusive endoscopic endonasal approach, whereas, in 3 patients, an osteoplastic flap was combined because of massive or lateral frontal sinus involvement. The tumor extended into the orbit in 5 cases, and involved the skull base in 5 patients who required a concomitant endoscopic duraplasty. No evidence of disease was observed in 10 patients after a mean follow-up of 90.1 months (range, 14-189 months). One patient was alive with persistence of disease, although asymptomatic.

CONCLUSION

The endoscopic endonasal approach is a valid alternative for the vast majority of sinonasal schwannomas with minimal morbidity for the patient. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E2074-E2082, 2016.

Schwannoma of the Sinonasal Tract and the Pterygopalatine Fossa with or without Intracranial Extension

AIMS

Compared with those in other head and neck regions, schwannomas in the nasal cavity or paranasal sinuses are rare. The aim of this study was to present the experience of the authors in 11 schwannoma cases of the sinonasal tract and pterygopalatine fossa over a decade.

METHODS

A retrospective study from 2003 to 2014.

RESULTS

Three female and 8 male patients from 22 to 61 years of age (mean age 42 years) were admitted. The most common complaints were unilateral nasal congestion. A total of 10 of the patients received surgery, including 6 functional endoscopic sinus surgeries (FESS). The postoperative course was generally uneventful. Among the patients, 10 remained regionally asymptomatic, and there has been no clinical or radiological evidence of recurrence or residual tumor.

CONCLUSION

Surgical treatment is effective for schwannomas of the sinonasal tract and the pterygopalatine fossa with a low recurrence rate. Conducting CT and MRI (particularly fluid-attenuated inversion recovery) before surgery is mandatory. FESS could become the primary treatment of choice.

Schwannomas of the sinonasal tract and anterior skull base: a systematic review of 94 cases

BACKGROUND

Schwannomas of the anterior skull base (ASB) and sinonasal tract are extremely rare. These lesions mimic other pathologies such as olfactory groove meningiomas, hemangiopericytomas, and esthesioneuroblastomas. Because of their low incidence, ASB and sinonasal tract schwannomas have not been well characterized. A systematic review of ASB and sinonasal tract schwannomas was conducted to further elucidate the presentation and surgical management of these lesions.

METHODS

A MEDLINE/PubMed search was performed, identifying 71 articles representing 94 cases of ASB and sinonasal schwannomas. Each case was analyzed for demographics, clinical presentation, anatomic location, radiographic features, and surgical treatment.

RESULTS

In 94 patients with ASB and sinonasal schwannomas, 44 (46.8%) were exclusively sinonasal, 30 cases (31.9%) were exclusively intracranial, 12 (12.8%) were primarily intracranial with extension into the paranasal sinuses, and 8 (8.5%) were primarily sinonasal with intracranial extension. Headaches and nasal obstruction were the most common presenting symptoms occurring in 30.9 and 29.8% of cases, respectively. Magnetic resonance imaging typically showed a hyperintense mass on T2-weighted imaging (70%) and hypointense (41%) on T1-weighted imaging. Most patients underwent surgical gross total resection via craniotomy, endoscopic endonasal approach, rhinotomy, or other sinonasal approaches. Recurrence occurred in three cases ranging from 4 months to 13 years. Postoperative complications included cerebral spinal fluid leakage, bacterial meningitis, epidural hematoma, and pneumocranium.

CONCLUSION

ASB and sinonasal schwannomas are rare lesions and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of ASB masses involving the cribriform plate with sinonasal extension. Gross total resection of these lesions should be considered the goal of operative management.

Atypical presentation of sinonasal cellular schwannoma: a nonsolitary mass with osseous, orbital, and intracranial invasion

Objective Sinonasal cellular schwannoma represents < 4% of head and neck schwannomas. These benign tumors are typically confined to the nasal cavity or ethmoid sinus. We describe an atypical case of sinonasal cellular schwannoma with diffuse paranasal sinus involvement and both intraorbital and intracranial extension.

Results A 62-year-old woman presented with a 6-month history of right orbital proptosis and right-sided headache. Subsequent imaging revealed an invasive paranasal sinus mass extending through the skull base and displacing the right orbit. Preoperative biopsies were not diagnostic but revealed a spindle cell lesion suspicious for malignancy based on lack of encapsulation, infiltration of the sinonasal submucosa, and osseous invasion. The patient underwent open skull base surgery, and pathology confirmed a S100-positive nonencapsulated cellular schwannoma.

Conclusion An atypical case of sinonasal cellular schwannoma with intracranial extension is reported. Its presentation is contrary to the common view that these are isolated solitary lesions of the nasoethmoid region. We suggest that sinonasal cellular schwannoma be considered in the differential diagnosis of a poorly defined invasive paranasal sinus mass, particularly following biopsy.

Endoscopic endonasal approach for the treatment of schwannomas of the pterygopalatine fossa: case report and review of the literature

INTRODUCTION

Pterygopalatine fossa (PPF) schwannomas are rare lesions most often arising from branches of the trigeminal nerve. Symptomatic lesions have been traditionally treated by conventional external approaches. However, the development of an expanded endonasal approach (EEA) enables skull base surgeons to reach these deeply seated lesions via a different route with its own advantages and drawbacks.

METHODS

Case report and review of the literature.

CASE DESCRIPTION

A 41-year-old woman presented with a 6-year history of right facial pain and numbness. Her symptoms had increased progressively over a year, and she recently had developed right-sided otalgia. MRI revealed a right PPF mass, hypointense on T1 and T2 sequences with homogeneous enhancement following the use of gadolinium. A biopsy, attempted at another institution, was considered non-diagnostic. We totally removed the lesion through an endoscopic endonasal transmaxillary approach. Final pathology confirmed the diagnosis of schwannoma. Post-operatively, the patient noted a significant improvement of her facial pain (V2 territory).

CONCLUSION

The endonasal endoscopic transmaxillary approach provides adequate access to the PPF, thus enabling safe tumor removal with less morbidity than conventional routes.

Endoscopic endonasal resection of sinonasal and anterior skull base schwannomas

Sinonasal and anterior skull base (ASB) schwannomas are rare entities. The majority of these lesions are found within the sinonasal tract, although some have intracranial extension via invasion of the ASB. Often, these tumors can be confused for other entities, especially olfactory groove meningiomas and esthesioneuroblastomas in the olfactory groove region, and juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibromas in the infratemporal fossa. We present a single institutional series of four patients with sinonasal and ASB schwannomas that were resected purely via an endoscopic endonasal approach. A retrospective chart review was performed to identify individuals with sinonasal and/or ASB schwannomas. Demographic data, presenting symptoms, imaging, treatment, and follow-up were recorded. Two male and two female patients were included in this study. The average age was 53.5 years (range, 21 to 71). The most common presenting symptoms were facial pain and hyposmia. All tumors were treated with endoscopic endonasal resection. One patient had intradural intracranial extension and required an extended endoscopic endonasal transcribriform approach with ASB resection, while another case involving the infratemporal fossa was treated with an extended endoscopic endonasal transpterygoid approach to this region. There were no major complications at an average follow-up of 9 months (range, 0 to 16). Sinonasal and ASB schwannomas are rare entities, with often nondescript symptoms and can often mimic other types of skull base tumors. Total resection via a purely endoscopic endonasal approach can be considered for these rare neoplasms.

A whiff of trouble: tumours of the nasal cavity and their mimics

A range of disease entities can affect the nasal cavity, often presenting with variable and non-specific symptoms. There is considerable overlap between the clinical and radiological features of neoplastic and non-neoplastic entities. The nasal cavity is often included in routine imaging of the brain, middle ear, skull base, and paranasal sinuses and should be included as a critical review area. The definitive diagnosis is in most cases confirmed by histopathological analysis. However, this review highlights the role of imaging in identifying nasal cavity disease, eliciting features of aggressive or indolent behaviour, and helping to narrow the differential diagnosis, thus facilitating a systematic approach when reviewing the nasal cavity.

Diagnosis and management of extracranial head and neck schwannomas: a review of 27 cases

Objectives. Clinical records of 27 patients with extracranial head and neck schwannoma were retrospectively reviewed. Methods. Ultrasonography (US) was performed in all cases. Seven patients underwent CT. Twenty-five patients underwent MRI. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) was performed for 12 of the 27 patients. Clinical history, surgical data, and postoperative morbidity were analyzed. Results. The images of US showed a well-defined, hypoechoic, primarily homogeneous solid mass. At CT, only one of 7 cases (14%) was able to suggest the diagnosis of schwannoma. At MRI, twenty of 25 cases (80%) suggested the diagnosis of schwannoma. Only three of 12 cases (25%) displayed a specific diagnosis of schwannoma rendered on FNAC. The distribution of 27 nerves of origin was 10 (37%) vagus nerves, 6 (22%) sympathetic trunks, 5 (19%) cervical plexuses, 3 (11%) brachial plexuses, 2 (7%) hypoglossal nerves, and 1 (4%) accessory nerve. Complete tumor resection was performed in 11 patients, and intracapsular enucleation of the tumor was performed in 16 patients. The rate of nerve palsy was 100 (11/11) and 31% (5/16). Conclusions. MRI is sensitive and specific in the diagnosis of schwannoma. Intracapsular enucleation was an effective and feasible method for preserving the neurological functions.

Computed tomography and pathological findings of five nasal neurilemmomas

Objectives

Neurilemmomas are benign tumors deriving from Schwann cells of the nerve sheath. They occur in all parts of the body. The highest incidence of neurilemmoma is in the head and neck region (38–45%), but involvement of the nose and paranasal sinus is quite rare, with only sporadic cases having been reported in the world literature. Fewer than 4% of these tumors involve the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. We describe the clinical, pathologic, and computed tomography (CT) features of five nasal neurilemmomas.

Methodology

CT features of five patients with nasal schwannoma proved by operation and pathology were investigated.

Results

Schwannomas tend to be solitary and are usually well-circumscribed tumors with an oval, round or fusiform shape in the unilateral nasal cavity. The lesions usually have a mottled central lucency with peripheral intensification on contrast-enhanced CT scans. The heterogeneous appearance is related to areas of increased vascularity with adjacent non-enhancing cystic or necrotic regions.

Conclusions

Schwannoma should be considered in the differential of unusual nasal masses. Certain clinical and CT patterns may be of use in the differential diagnosis.