A cavernous hemangioma simulating an intracanalicular acoustic neurinoma--a case report

A case of an intrameatal cavernous hemangioma is reported. The 53-year-old patient presented with decreased hearing and a slight 7th nerve palsy on the left. Clinical features and preoperative radiological appearances were indistinguishable from those of an acoustic neurinoma. Though, DD the involvement of all three nerves (N. facialis, N. cochlearis, N. vestibularis) should have lead to another entity. The tumour showed intraoperatively no relationship to the 8th cranial nerve, but was very adherent to the facial nerve. The macroscopic appearance differed to the usual aspect of an acoustic neurinoma. The final diagnosis was made after the operation with histopathological methods. The clinical features and pathology of this type of tumour are discussed.