Syndromes after Resection of Cervical Schwannoma

Abstract

Cervical schwannomas are rare, as fewer than 250 cases have been reported in the literature. The preferred method of removing a schwannoma is enucleation. Complications of schwannoma excision include Horner syndrome, first-bite syndrome, and Pourfour du Petit syndrome. These complications are usually transient and in most cases do not require treatment. Pourfour du Petit syndrome, which is the converse of Horner syndrome, occurs with stimulation of the sympathetic cervical chain. We report a case of cervical schwannoma in a 44-year-old woman who developed signs suggestive of both Horner syndrome and Pourfour du Petit syndrome following excision of the lesion. We discuss the diagnostic workup, surgical treatment, and likely sequelae of this pathology.