Cerebellopontine angle osteoma causing trigeminal neuralgia: case report

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Oncology
• Skull Base Surgery

Background:

• Osteomas are benign bone tumors, often asymptomatic.
• Petrous bone osteomas are rare, especially those causing intracranial complications.
• Cerebellopontine angle tumors can present with diverse neurological symptoms.

Observation:

• A case of osteoma on the inner surface of the petrous bone is presented.
• The tumor manifested as homolateral trigeminal neuralgia.
• Mild brain stem compression was also observed.

Findings:

• This is the second reported case of an inner petrous bone osteoma causing intracranial complications.
• The study reviews literature on temporal bone osteomas and their clinical significance.
• Intracranial tumors presenting with trigeminal neuralgia are discussed.

Implications:

• Highlights the importance of considering osteomas in the differential diagnosis of cerebellopontine angle masses.
• Emphasizes the potential for rare tumors to cause significant neurological deficits.
• Contributes to understanding the spectrum of intracranial tumors associated with facial pain.