A case of jugular foramen neurinoma originating from glossopharyngeal nerve

A 39-year-old man was admitted with right hearing loss, tinnitus and vertigo. Neurological examination on admission revealed right facial palsy, right acoustic nerve disturbance and cerebellar ataxia. CT scan demonstrated a mass with intra-and extracranial extension in the pyramid bone concomitant with enlarged jugular foramen. MRI showed a ring-like enhanced, extra-axial mass in the right CP angle. Cerebral angiography showed no tumor slain. Venous phase of VAG revealed lateral displacement of the right sigmoidal sinus and obstruction of the internal jugular vein. Three dimensional CT was very useful to reveal enlarged jugular foramen. The tumor was resected totally and was approached through a right suboccipital craniectomy and mastoidectomy on July, 1994. Surgery confirmed that the tumor was a neurinoma originating from the glossopharyngeal nerve. After the operation, right facial palsy developed and transient fugitive CSF leakage was observed, bur the patient is doing well. There was no amelioration of right hearing loss. JFN originating from the glossopharyngeal nerve is rare. Twenty-five cases of glossopharyngeal neurinoma are reviewed.