Schwannomas of the head and neck in children

Schwannomas are relatively rare tumors that arise from Schwann cells of the sheaths of peripheral nerves. They may be found in any portion of the body. In reported series of schwannomas, the percentage of tumors in the head and neck varies from 16% to 45%. Usually demonstrating slow growth, they often have a history of long duration, and are most often diagnosed in adults. Approximately 10% of schwannomas are diagnosed in patients under 21 years of age. In this paper two children with large schwannomas of the head and neck are reported. In both, the symptoms were of relatively short duration, but physical findings suggested that the tumors had been present much longer. One patient was a 10-year-old female with a schwannoma filling the anterior and posterior triangles of the left side of her neck and extending superiorly to the base of the skull. The tumor intimately involved the vagus, spinal accessory, and hypoglossal nerves. The other patient was a 12-year-old female with a nasal tumor filling the right naris and nasopharynx. Our management of these patients is discussed.