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Updated: Jul 9, 2026
Facial Nerve Surgery in the Rat Model to Study Axonal Inhibition and Regeneration
Published on: May 5, 2020
Unilateral congenital facial nerve paralysis secondary to a benign epithelioid peripheral nerve sheath tumor
Michael P Ondik1, Todd Preston, Javad Towfighi
1Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA.
Objective:
A benign epithelioid peripheral nerve sheath tumor is described in the setting of congenital facial nerve (FN) paralysis. This is the first reported case in the English literature.
Patient:
A 10-month-old girl with unilateral congenital FN paralysis.
Interventions:
Auditory brainstem evoked potential study, gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, temporal bone computed tomography, and transmastoid FN decompression with tumor resection.
Main Outcome Measures:
Follow-up for tumor recurrence and postoperative FN function.
Results:
The child underwent a transmastoid FN exploration with resection of a 0.6-cm spherical tumor analyzed to be a benign epithelioid peripheral nerve sheath tumor. There is no evidence of recurrence, and FN function was unchanged at 1 year postoperatively.
Conclusion:
Benign epithelioid peripheral nerve sheath tumor can cause congenital facial nerve palsy.
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