Nasal schwannoma with skull base destruction in a child (a case report and literature review)

Abstract

Schwannomas (neurinomas) are benign, encapsulated, and slow-growing neoplasms developing from any peripheral, cranial, or vegetative nerve that has the Schwann sheath. Schwannomas of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses in adults occur rarely, less than 4% of cases. The world literature lacks similar data for the pediatric age group because these tumors in children are unique and extremely rare. The most common clinical symptoms of sinonasal schwannoma are nasal breathing disorders, hyposmia or anosmia, and snoring at night. Other symptoms are associated with intranasal schwannoma invasion of neighboring organs and tissues and include exophthalmos, epiphora (lacrimation), headaches, and anesthesia in the facial area. In this article, we describe a rare case of diagnosis and successful surgical treatment of a child with intranasal schwannoma destructing the skull base.