Clin Exp Otorhinolaryngol.  2014 Jun;7(2):153-156.

A Cervical Vagal Schwannoma Mimicking a Parathyroid Cyst

• Hwang KR
• Kim JW
• Kim HK
• Lee SW

Abstract

Cervical vagal schwannomas with cystic degeneration changes are extremely rare. These tumors are typically benign and slow growing. A 44-year-old woman underwent complete resection of a tumor measuring 4x3.5 cm in the right neck using the endoscopic approach, instead of the conventional transcervical approach. We applied the new scarless neck surgery technique with an endoscopic unilateral axillo-breast approach. The tumor originated from the right vagus nerve, and was confirmed to be a vagal schwannoma pathologically. The patient has been followed up for 18 months postoperatively with no evidence of tumor recurrence or neurological deficit. We report an extremely rare vagal schwannoma with cystic degeneration that was removed by an endoscopic approach, along with a review of the relevant literature.

Keyword

Cervical vagal schwannoma; Unilateral axillo-breast approach

MeSH Terms

Adult
Female
Humans
Neck
Neurilemmoma*
Recurrence
Vagus Nerve

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Ultrasonogram showed cystic vagal schwannoma, which the size is 4×3.5 cm multiseptate mass within the right carotid space.

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  Fig. 2 Contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the vagal schwannoma. (A) Axial view. (B) Enhanced coronal view. A degree of enhancement was seen, which was homogeneously solid or heterogeneous and patchy.

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  Fig. 3 (A) Surgical photograph showing that the cystic vagal schwannoma was removed with preservation of neural integrity. (B) Resected cystic schwannoma.

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  Fig. 4 Histological findings revealed that the schwannoma contained a highly cellular component (A, Antoni A) and a loose myxoid component (B, Antoni B) (H&E,×40).

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