Dumbbell-shaped schwannoma of the jugular foramen

A 49-year-old male patient with schwannoma of the jugular foramen is described. T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging with gadolinium showed an enhanced dumbbell-shaped mass with its smaller part occupying the left cerebellopontine angle and its larger part in left parapharyngeal space. The mass was totally removed with a left mastoidectomy and suboccipital craniotomy. The dura mater was closed with anterior lamina of the rectus sheath, and the large defect of the neck was obliterated with free rectus abdominis muscular flap. The postoperative course was uneventful, except for some sputum aspiration and hoarseness. He underwent surgical mediation and cricopharyngeal myotomy for his left, paralyzed vocal cord, and both speech and swallowing function improved quite well. This paper reports our experience in managing this dumbbell-shaped neurinoma of the jugular foramen.