Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Microvascular Decompression: Salient Surgical Principles and Technical Nuances
Published on: July 5, 2011
Trigeminal nerve haemangioma eroding the petrous carotid canal
I Saliba1, F El Fata, F Berthelet
1Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal-Notre-Dame Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. issam.saliba@umontreal.ca
Objective:
To report the first case of mandibular branch haemangioma of the trigeminal nerve causing erosion of the petrous carotid canal. The radiological and histological findings in this case are reviewed.
Case Report:
A 60-year-old woman presented with severe, right-sided facial pain and paraesthesia. There were no associated symptoms of facial weakness or diplopia. A magnetic resonance imaging scan with gadolinium enhancement was performed. This showed a lesion slightly compressing the right Meckel's cave and eroding the right petrous carotid canal, occupying the foramen ovale and extending to the pterygoid muscle. The lesion was removed via a subtemporal approach.
Conclusion:
Haemangiomas are usually found on the skin and in other soft tissues. However, this rare tumour should also be considered in the differential diagnosis of lesions occupying Meckel's cave and the foramen ovale.
Related Concept Videos
The Arch of Aorta
Encircling the heart, the coronary arteries form a ring-like structure before...
Arteries of the Head and Neck
The internal carotid arteries supply blood to the anterior portion of the cerebrum. They enter the...
Cranial Nerves: Types Part I
Olfactory Nerve (Cranial Nerve I)
The olfactory nerve, or cranial nerve I, is unique as it is purely sensory and dedicated to the sense of smell. This nerve originates in the olfactory epithelium of the...
Cranial Nerves: Types Part II
Facial Nerve (Cranial Nerve VII)
Cranial nerve VII, or the facial nerve,...