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Painful Schwannoma Arising From the Great Auricular Nerve
Mikio Shimazaki1, Masami Suzuki1, Naohiro Yoshida1
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Jichi Medical University Saitama Medical Center, Saitama, JPN.
Abstract:
We report a case of a painful cervical schwannoma arising from the great auricular nerve (GAN) in an 84-year-old man. He presented with a long-standing left cervical mass and progressively worsening severe pain in the infra-auricular and postauricular regions. Physical examination and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a mass along the sternocleidomastoid muscle coursing parallel to the external jugular vein. Based on the characteristic pain distribution and anatomical findings, a schwannoma arising from the GAN was suspected preoperatively. Complete tumor excision with transection of the GAN was performed for pain relief, and histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of schwannoma. Postoperatively, the pain resolved completely, with no recurrence during 18 months of follow-up. This case underscores the diagnostic value of characteristic pain distribution and anatomical features in the preoperative identification of a schwannoma arising from the GAN.
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