[Geniculate ganglion tumors. Therapeutic and reconstructive management]

We present five cases of patients diagnosed of a facial nerve tumoral lesion localised at the Geniculate Ganglion and all of which underwent surgical resection. The initial symptoms were in four cases of peripheral facial nerve paralysis and in the fifth case facial paresis. Two trans-mastoid extralabyrinthine approaches were performed and one through a combined path (middle fossa and trans-mastoid) with reconstruction of the facial nerve through a termino-terminal graft. In the fourth case, an approach through fossa media was done, and did not include nerve reconstruction but palliative treatment with a palpebral gold plaque. In the fifth case, a modified trans-labyrinthine approach with facial-hypoglossus termino-terminal anastomosis. Histological diagnosis was 3 neurinomas and 2 hemangiomas. Of the termino-terminal grafts two managed a functional Grade III of the House-Brackmann classification. The third one sustained a Grade VI and therefore a suspension with temporal muscle was carried out. The patient with facial-hypoglossus anastomosis is in a functional Grade IV. Geniculate ganglion tumors are in their majority benign and their treatment is the total resection of the tumor. Nerve reconstruction can be primary or deferred with the aid of a nerve graft or anastomosis, being necessary palliative techniques when resection is not possible.