Isolated unilateral hypoglossal nerve palsy due to a chondroid chordoma.

A case is described of an isolated unilateral hypoglossal nerve palsy due to a tumour which was removed surgically from the hypoglossal canal. The pathological findings showed the features of a chondroid chordoma. This case is unusual because intracranial causes of isolated unilateral hypoglossal nerve palsies are rare, and because the chondroid chordoma had arisen laterally, either close to or within the hypoglossal canal.