The belief that cochleovestibular schwannomas arise from the glial-Schwann cell junction has repeatedly been quoted in the literature, although there is no published evidence that supports this statement. A systematic evaluation of the nerve of origin and the precise location of cochleovestibular schwannomas using our respective archival temporal bone collections was conducted. Forty tumors wer...

OBJECTIVES To review the literature on glossopharyngeal schwannomas with a focus on clinical presentation, radiologic/audiologic characteristics, and management options, and to propose a mechanism explaining the nature of vestibulocochlear dysfunction seen with these tumors. STUDY DESIGN Contemporary review. METHODS English literature search for cases of primary isolated glossopharyngeal sc...

Schwannomas are rare tumors originating from the Schwann cells, which form the neural sheath. These tumors occur most frequently in the head, neck, arms and limbs. Primary schwannomas of the colon and rectum are extremely rare; they are usually benign, but in extremely rare cases (2%), they can present with malignant degeneration if not surgically removed. The current study presents the case of...

Schwannomas, although benign, can be fatal or give rise to significant morbidity due to an unpredictable growth rate. They can reoccur after surgery or radiation, current treatments each with significant inherent risks. These risks are further amplified in neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2), a germ line predisposition syndrome characterized by multiple schwannomas, underlying the need for biologica...

BACKGROUND Extradural schwannomas arising from the sympathetic chain are uncommon benign nerve sheath tumors. We present our experience with three patients having such tumors located in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions and we describe clinical presentation, surgical treatment, and outcomes. METHODS Between 2002 and 2006, the medical records of three patients with pathologically prove...

Background peripheral nerve sheath tumors comprise a broad spectrum of neoplasms. Vestibular schwannomas and plexiform neurofibromas are symptomatic albeit benign, but a subset of the latter pre-malignant lesions will transform to malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST). Surgery and radiotherapy are the primary strategies to treat these tumors. Intrinsic resistance to drug therapy char...

BACKGROUND Intracranial nonvestibular schwannomas arising from various cranial nerves excluding CN VIII are uncommon. Recently, stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) have been widely reported as effective treatment modalities for nonvestibular schwannomas. The purpose of this study was to study the long term clinical outcome for nonvestibular schwannom...

Schwannomas are benign neoplasms derived from Schwann cells. In this work, we present our experience in operative management of schwannomas and analyse results of treatment. Clinical material consisted of 34 patients, in whom 44 schwannomas located in extremities were excised between 1985 and 2013. Thirty-five tumours originated from major peripheral nerves and 9 from small nerve branches. Post...

Paranasal schwannomas are uncommon lesions, representing less than 4% of all head and neck schwannomas. They give rise to nonspecific symptoms such as nasal obstruction, epistaxis, and anosmia. Imaging features are generally nonspecific. Here, we present the radiologic features of a benign schwannoma of the middle turbinate with dural invasion in a 71-year-old woman.

Between 25 and 48% of schwannomas have been reported to occur in the head and neck region; the acoustic nerve is involved in most cases. Schwannomas arising in the tonsil are extremely uncommon. We report a case of tonsillar schwannoma in a 23-year-old woman. We also review the literature on this rare entity.