Cervical sympathetic chain schwannoma presenting as a carotid body tumor

Ashish Sharma; Manmohan Singh; Narender Singh Jhajhria; Vijay Grover; Vijay Gupta

doi:10.18203/2349-2902.isj20161190

Authors

Ashish Sharma Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery (C.T.V.S.), P.G.I.M.E.R and Dr. R.M.L. Hospital, New Delhi
Manmohan Singh Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery (C.T.V.S.), P.G.I.M.E.R and Dr. R.M.L. Hospital, New Delhi
Narender Singh Jhajhria Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery (C.T.V.S.), P.G.I.M.E.R and Dr. R.M.L. Hospital, New Delhi
Vijay Grover Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery (C.T.V.S.), P.G.I.M.E.R and Dr. R.M.L. Hospital, New Delhi
Vijay Gupta Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery (C.T.V.S.), P.G.I.M.E.R and Dr. R.M.L. Hospital, New Delhi

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2349-2902.isj20161190

Keywords:

Carotid body tumour, Shwannoma, Cervical sympathetic chain

Abstract

Nerve sheath tumours arising from the sympathetic chain are extremely rare and are a diagnostic challenge. Schwannomas are benign nerve sheath tumours deriving from Schwann cells that occur in the head and neck region in 25-45% of cases. Cervical lesions originate from spinal nerves, the last four cranial nerve roots, or occasionally from the sympathetic chain. Carotid body tumour (CBT), the most common tumour of the carotid bifurcation, presents as a pulsatile mass. Cervical sympathetic chain (CSC) schwannomas are slow growing lesions and may appear pulsatile due to the displacement of vascular structures by the non-vascular mass and thus may mimic a CBT. We here in discuss a case of 22year old female, who underwent surgical resection of a mass at carotid bifurcation, presuming a CBT, but postoperative histopathological examination revealed it a schwannoma.