An enigmatic clinical entity: A new case of olfactory schwannoma

Olfactory schwannomas, also described as subfrontal or olfactory groove schwannomas, are very rare tumors, whose pathogenesis is still largely debated. We report a case of olfactory schwannoma in a 39-year-old woman who presented with anosmia and headache. The clinical examination did not show lesions in the nose-frontal region and there was no history of neurofibromatosis. Head MRI and CT scan revealed a lobulated extra-axial mass localized in the right anterior cranial fossa that elevated the ipsilateral frontal pole. Bilateral frontal craniotomy demonstrated a tumor strictly attached to the right portion of the cribriform plate that surrounded the right olfactory tract, not clearly identifiable. The immunohistochemical analysis suggested the diagnosis of typical schwannoma. The patient was discharged without any neurological deficit and a four-month postoperative MRI scan of the brain showed no residual or recurrent tumor.