Cerebellopontine angle ganglionic hamartoma: Case report

Abstract

Cerebellopontine angle (CPA) ganglionic hamartomas are rare. We present a case of a 49-year-old woman who presented with left-sided hearing loss of more than 4 years' duration and vertigo since childhood. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a mass on the intracanalicular segment of cranial nerve VIII on the left side, consistent with acoustic schwannoma. She opted for observation of the tumor. The patient returned 21 months after the initial evaluation with new-onset left facial weakness. At this time, a working diagnosis of facial nerve neuroma was made. The lesion was excised, and pathology confirmed a diagnosis of left-sided CPA ganglionic hamartoma. Otolaryngologists should be familiar with this uncommon tumor and include it in the differential diagnosis of CPA lesions.