Arachnoid cyst of the internal auditory canal producing facial paralysis in a three-year-old child.

The case of a three-year-old child with facial paralysis due to a lesion within the internal auditory canal is reported. Radiographic studies delineated and localized the mass which proved to be an arachnoid cyst. The etiology and differential diagnosis of facial paralysis in children are discussed and correlated with facial nerve anatomy.