PLEXIFORM SCHWANNOMA OF INFRAORBITAL NERVE - A RARE CASE REPORT

A thirty year old female presented with a painless solitary swelling at right cheek since last one year. Fine needle aspiration cytology was non conclusive. CT-Scan was done which revealed a non-enhancing, multinodular mass in the inferior orbit, pterygopalatine fossa and posterior part of right maxillary sinus with no obvious bony erosion. There was no significant orbital extension. A probable diagnosis of benign schwannoma of infraorbital nerve was made. Sublabial approach was taken and the tumor was excised with preservation of the infraorbital nerve from where it was originating. The mass was multinodular and therefore diagnosis of infraorbital nerve Plexiform schwannoma was confirmed by histopathology. Isolated infraorbital nerve Plexiform or multilnodular schwannoma is rare and therefore its literature is reviewed and discussed.