Extracalvarial Meningioma in the Parapharyngeal Space: Presentation, Diagnosis and Management

Abstract

Extracalvarial meningioma in the cervical region presenting as a parapharyngeal mass lesion is seldom encountered in clinical practice and poses great challenge in its diagnosis and surgical management. In this report, we present a case of extracranial meningioma in a middle-aged person who presented with a large, gradually progressing cervical swelling with multiple cranial nerve pareses. The difficulties in diagnosis and surgical management of this unusual neoplasm in the setting of partial encasement and thrombosis of the internal jugular vein have been discussed, along with the computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging providing details of its extent and character. The report emphasizes the need to consider extracalvarial meningioma as a less common but important differential diagnosis of parapharyngeal space neoplasms.

Keywords

• extracranial
• internal jugular vein
• paraganglioma
• parapharyngeal tumour