Schwannoma of the Facial Nerve

Overview

S u m m a r y:
The authors present an infrequent case of a schwannoma of the facial nerve. In thesymptomatology predominated a successively developing paresis of the facial nerve and tinnitus.Paresis of the facial nerve developed after viral disease and for a year it was mistaken for Bell’spalsy. During that period the patient had repeated rehabilitation treatment which failed. CTexamination which revealed changes in the temporal bone was made only one year after develop-ment of the paresis. After removal of the tumour it was found that the facial nerve is completelydestroyed in the entire area of the mastoid and partly in the tympanic section of the nerve. Anextensive fistula was found above the lateral semicircular canal. Reconstruction of the nerve wasdone by an intermediate graft from the nervus auricularis magnus and the fistula was obliterated.The resulting surgical situation involved open tympanoplastic technique with obliteration. Oneyear after surgery the lesion of the facial nerve was classified as grade IV according to House-Brac-kmann’s classification.

Key words:
schwannoma, facial nerve.