Ossifying hemangioma of the temporal bone.

Intratemporal vascular tumors are more frequent than has previously been noted. Despite their small size, hemangiomas of the temporal bone are extremely aggressive and produce severe neural deficits. The term ossifying hemangioma is used to denote an intratemporal vascular tumor characterized by new bone formation, which is responsible for the typical honeycomb appearance of these tumors on high-resolution computed tomographic scans. Early resection offers the best chance for good facial recovery in patients with vascular tumors of the temporal bone involving the facial nerve. Our case report supports this observation and emphasizes the importance of incorporating these tumors in the differential diagnosis of patients with persistent facial paralysis.