A case report of facial nerve hemangioma.

Facial nerve hemangioma is a rare benign tumor that originates from the venous plexus surrounding the facial nerve. A case of facial nerve hemangioma in the geniculate ganglion was reported. A 47-year-old man was referred with a left progressive facial palsy over 1 year. There were no complaints of associated hearing loss, tinnitus, headache, dizziness or otalgia. He had a left-side grade VI (House and Brackmann) facial palsy. Audiometry revealed normal hearing thresholds in conversation area bilaterally. CT imaging demonstrated a tumor at the left first genu of the facial nerve with expansion to the cochlea wall and middle skull base. MRI imaging demonstrated a centrally enhancing lesion measuring 5 mm x 10 mm in the geniculate ganglion. The tumor was totally removed by the middle cranial fossa approach. At the time of surgery the facial nerve was destroyed by the tumor in the geniculate ganglion. Histopathological examination diagnosed a hemangioma.