CLINICAL CASES   

Otorinolaringologia 1999 December;49(4):201-6

Copyright © 2000 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Schwannoma (neurilemmoma) located in the tongue. A clinical case report

Fadda G. L., Palonta F., Preti G., Nazionale G., Vione N., Albera R., Cavalot A. L.

Università degli Studi - Torino Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Clinica Sezione di Otorinolaringoiatria II (Prof. G. Cortesina)

Neurilemmoma (schwannoma) is a benign, encapsulated perineural tumor of neuroectodermal derivation originating from the Schwann cells of the neural sheath of motor and sensitive peripheral nerves. Its etiology is still unknown. Head and neck are one of the most frequent localizations, but intraoral development is quite uncommon accounting for just over 1% of benign tumors reported in the oral cavity. In this area the tongue is involved most frequently, and in a decreasing order, palate, cheek mucosa, lip and gingiva are the most frequent locations. Diagnosis is confirmed by microscopic examination. Surgical enucleation is generally easy to perform and the prognosis is excellent after resection, with a low rate of recurrence and an extremely rare possibility of malignant degeneration. A case of neurilemmoma of the tongue, personally observed is reported, and the clinical and anatomopathological characteristics of this heteroplasia are described.