Primary extracranial meningioma of paranasal sinuses.

Meningioma is the most common nonglial intracranial neoplasm, arising from meningocytes (arachnoid cap cells) of arachnoid granulation tissue and constitutes 15-20 % of all intracranial tumors. Approximately 6-17 % of all meningiomas can be found in extracranial or extra spinal sites. The head and neck is the most frequent location of extraneuraxial meningiomas, commonly seen as an extension of primary intracranial tumor (secondary extracranial meningioma). Less than 2 % of all meningiomas arise at a primary ectopic site (primary extracranial meningioma). Meningioma of nose and paranasal sinuses is a very rare tumor. The overall incidence is about 0.1 % of all tumors in the nose and sinuses. To date, very few cases of this primary extracranial meningioma of paranasal sinuses have been reported. In this report we are going to present three rare cases of primary extracranial meningioma of paranasal sinuses operated in our department over a period of 22 years (1986-2008).