Intralabyrinthine schwannoma; two cases with different manifestations

초록

Intralabyrinthine schwannomas are rare benign tumors that arise from the terminal ends of the eighth cranial nerve. These may involve the cochlea, vestibule, or semicircular canals. These tumors are uncommon, and were diagnosed incidentally either during labyrinthectomy or at autopsy. The increasing use of the MRI in the diagnostic assessment of patients with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss or tinnitus has led to the diagnosis of intralabyrinthine schwannomas. Because the clinical symptoms of intralabyrinthine schwannomas and other otologic disorders, particularly Meniere's disease, are so similar, diagnosis of intralabyrinthine schwannomas is challenging. We report two patients with intralabyrinthine schwannoma. One of them had been misdiagnosed as having Meniere's disease. With the aid of MRI, intralabyrinthine schwannomas were detected and removed successfully by translabyrinthine approach. Up to now, they didn't have complained of vertigo.