A columellar deformity caused by a congenital schwannoma

Abstract

Schwannoma is a benign neoplasm arising from Schwann cells of the peripheral nerve. It very rarely located in the nasal tip. We report two cases of congenital schwannoma of the nasal columella and discuss the surgical approach of such tumor.Case report: Case 1: An 18 year-old female was referred to us for a very slow growing tumor of the columella. The deformity had been present since the birth. The patient underwent an excision of its tumor using an open rhinoplasty approach. The histological examination revealed a schwannoma. No recurrence was found within 2 years of follow up.Case 2: A 4 month male baby presenting a congenital tumor of his columella. He underwent an excision using open rhinoplasty approach. The histological examination showed a plexiform schwannoma.Discussion: Schwannoma of the nasal tip is a benign tumor that gradually causes aesthetic and functional disorders. Congenital schwannoma of columella is an extremely rare clinical situation. Its diagnosis and treatment can pose certain challenges. The treatment is surgical excision and histological analysis of the specimen. Open rhinoplasty approach provided a good surgical exploration and a good cosmetic result on this nasal tip tumor.

Keywords

• nose neoplasms
• neurilemmoma
• rhinoplasty