Case of the Week
Section Editors: Matylda Machnowska1 and Anvita Pauranik2
1University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
2BC Children's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Sign up to receive an email alert when a new Case of the Week is posted.
January 22, 2015
Hypoglossal Schwannoma
- Hypoglossal schwannomas are rare and account for 5% of all schwannomas
- Slight female preponderance 2.5:1; mean age of presentation: 45 years
- Clinical features are related to denervation hemiatrophy of the tongue. Patients can present with tongue fasciculations and dysarthria.
- Key Diagnostic Features:
- Enhancing mass (sometimes dumbbell-shaped), with widening of the hypoglossal canal
- Acute denervation changes in the tongue include an edematous swollen half of the tongue.
- Chronic denervation changes include fatty replacement in the hemi-tongue with ipsilateral prolapse.
- DDx:
- Metastasis
- Meningioma
- Lymphoma
- Leukemia
- Rx: Resection. Great auricle nerve graft may be used if a tension-free anastomosis is not possible.
Current Issue
Case Collections
