Case Reports in Clinical Medicine, 2016, 5, 50-56
Published Online February 2016 in SciRes. http://www.scirp.org/journal/crcm
http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/crcm.2016.52009
How to cite this paper: Oyelakin, O.A., Daniel, A., Nweke, M.C. and Okolo, C.A. (2016) Sinonasal Schwannoma in a Six-Year-
Old: An Unusual Presentation. Case Reports in Clinical Medicine, 5, 50-56. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/crcm.2016.52009
Sinonasal Schwannoma in a Six-Year-Old:
An Unusual Presentation
Oyeleye Abayomi Oyelakin
1
, Adekunle Daniel
1*
, Michael Chukuwugoziem Nweke
2
,
Clement Abu Okolo
2
1
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
2
Department of pathology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
Received 12 December 2015; accepted 21 February 2016; published 24 February 2016
Copyright © 2016 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY).
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Abstract
Schwannomas commonly occur in the head and neck region and extremities, but nasal schwan-
noma is extremely rare. It accounts for less than 4% of benign solitary schwannomas of the head
and neck region. Few cases and very few case series have been reported till date. We report the
case of a six-year-old female who presented with mouth breathing of two years with persistent
and progressive right nasal obstruction of three months. There was recurrent watery ipsilateral
nasal discharge, but no epistaxis, no otologic or throat symptoms, no headaches, facial pain, prop-
tosis or visual loss, no facial hypoesthesia, fever or weight loss. She also had right sided epiphora.
She had used topical steroid and decongestant without improvement. Ten months prior to pres-
entation, she had right dacrocystorhinostomy. Examination revealed mucosa mass completely
filling the right nasal cavity with an ipsilateral deviation of nasal septum—it was painless with no
contact bleeds. Nasal patency was clinically absent bilaterally. Computed tomogram revealed ex-
pansile isodense soft tissue mass in the right nasal cavity with heterogeneous enhancement on
contrast administration which measured 2.5 cm by 3.7 cm by 5.2 cm. She had an intranasal exci-
sion of the tumour and histology revealed Antoni A and B patterns, which is diagnostic of schwan-
noma. She was fully relieved of symptoms after surgery. Conclusion: Solitary nasal schwannoma is
rare especially in childhood. There are various causes of epiphora; definitive investigation of the
cause in the index case was not established before dacrocystorhinostomy. Thorough nasal evalua-
tion of epiphora or related ocular symptoms should be sought before definitive procedures.
Keywords
Schwannoma, Dacrocystorhinostomy, Nasolacrimal Duct, Antoni A and B Patterns
*
Corresponding author.