Benign tumors, called vestibular schwannomas, originate from the eighth cranial nerve and have a variable natural history. Clinically and radiologically, the solid variety is distinguished from cystic vestibular schwannomas (VS) forms, a rare benign subgroup.
In this article a clinical case about a 67-year-old male patient who entered the neurosurgery clinic of “St. Marina” University Hospital with clinical manifestations of right facial nerve paresis, ataxia, change of taste, and tinnitus of the right ear for several months is presented. MRI revealed a cystic schwannoma in the right pontocerebellar angle (Samii – 4a, Koos – IV). A right suboccipital craniectomy using a retrosigmoid approach is carried out while under general anesthesia. Intraoperatively, a yellowish cystic tumor is discovered, along with a distinct outline of the surrounding parenchyma. By microsurgical technique, neuromonitoring and neuroendoscope subtotal resection of the cysts is achieved. Complications from the surgery are not observed. Read the full article here.