Image-guided endonasal endoscopic excision of Meckel's cave trigeminal schwannoma from cavernous and petrous carotid artery

Abstract

Trigeminal schwannoma is the second most common schwannoma after vestibular schwannoma. Symptoms vary depending on the anatomical structures affected by the tumor, including facial pain, paresthesia, dizziness and ataxia. The primary goals are controlling the symptoms and the maintenance of cranial nerves' integrity perioperatively. We report a 39-year-old lady who was complaining of mild right-sided headache, vision and hearing loss, right facial weakness and dysphagia. CT and MRI showed a large dumbbell-shaped tumor originating from the trigeminal fossa abutting the petrous and cavernous carotid artery and extending to the infratemporal fossa. An image-guided endonasal endoscopic removal was successfully done. Image-guided endonasal endoscopic removal of a trigeminal schwannoma abutting the petrous and cavernous carotid artery and extending to the infratemporal fossa is a safe, effective approach, as it offers excellent visualization, accurate localization and safe dissection of the tumor from the critical anatomical neurovascular structures surrounding it.