Benign schwannoma of the pterygopalatine fossa with intracranial extension: a case report.

The authors present a rare case of benign schwannoma arising in the pterygopalatine fossa. The patient, an 18-year-old female, initially noticed blurring of her left eye but later, sudden loss of her left vision occurred. Radiological and computed tomographic studies outlined a mass occupying the left pterygopalatine fossa, which extended into the middle cranial fossa, the maxillary, ethmoid and sphenoid sinuses and the orbit. The histology of a transantral biopsy was reported as a benign schwannoma. The tumor was successfully removed by a transmaxillary approach. The eye symptoms disappeared four weeks following surgery. The nerve of origin of the tumor was not identified. The authors posturate that erosion of the skull base with mild to moderate extension into the middle cranial fossa, does not appear to be a contraindication for excising a schwannoma by the transmaxillary approach in this area.