Sporadic unilateral vestibular schwannoma with islets of meningioma: case report

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: Vestibular schwannomas with meningioma islets have been rarely reported in the literature; they have been observed only among patients with neurofibromatosis Type II. We present a case of a sporadic mixed tumor in a patient without neurofibromatosis Type II that was not suspected before surgery. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 59-year-old female patient presented with clinical signs of progressive loss of hearing. Her family history did not include evidence of neurological diseases. Magnetic resonance imaging scans revealed a typical unilateral vestibular schwannoma. INTERVENTION: The tumor presented with invasion of the surrounding arachnoid membrane, as well as Cranial Nerves VII and VIII. Preservation of the facial nerve with complete removal of the tumor was not possible. Therefore, Cranial Nerve VII reconstruction was performed. CONCLUSION: The concomitant occurrence of schwannomas and meningiomas infiltrating the arachnoid membrane might be related to poor clinical outcomes for patients with neurofibromatosis Type II, with respect to preservation of facial and acoustic nerves. Among sporadic schwannomas, this phenomenon is extremely rare.