Nasopharyngeal extension of a craniopharyngioma in a 4 year old girl.

Abstract

Nasopharyngeal extension of a craniopharyngioma is very rare and usually presents with headache, nasal obstruction and visual disturbances. We present a case of a 4 year old girl, who became symptomatic with visual deterioration. MRI showed a huge supra - and infrasellar cystic craniopharyngioma with extension into the sphenoid sinus. Primary treatment was a transnasal puncture of the cyst followed by a subfrontal approach with removal of the tumour preserving the chiasm and optic nerves. The visual acuity postoperatively improved while she needed hormone replacement due to panhypopituitarism. Follow-up 12 months after the operation showed no recurrence. This is the youngest patient of about 27 patients reported so far in the literature.

• Authors: R Buhl, A Nabavi, M Fritsch, H M Mehdorn
• Journal: Acta neurochirurgica (Acta Neurochir (Wien)) Vol. 143 Issue 12 Pg. 1283-5 (Dec 2001) ISSN: 0001-6268 [Print] Austria
• PMID: 11810394 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Topics

• Brain Neoplasms (pathology, surgery)
• Child, Preschool
• Craniopharyngioma (pathology, surgery)
• Cysts
• Female
• Humans
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms (etiology)
• Neoplasm Invasiveness
• Optic Nerve (pathology)
• Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms (etiology, pathology)
• Sphenoid Sinus (pathology)
• Treatment Outcome
• Vision Disorders (etiology)