Total removal of huge chondrosarcoma of the skull base with facial nerve resection and reconstruction

Abstract

Chondrosarcomas of the skull base are locally aggressive tumours, and radical surgical resection is often difficult because of involvement of important neural structures in the skull base. We report the successful total resection of a huge skull base chondrosarcoma extending both intra- and extracranially. The tumour involved the left mastoid process, entire petrous bone, jugular foramen, posterior fossa and the parapharyngeal space. Since the facial nerve in the fallopian canal was totally involved by the tumour, the nerve was sacrificed and reconstructed using a great auricular nerve graft. The removal of the tumour was radical and complete. The functional recovery of the reconstructed facial nerve was excellent. The patient has almost fully recovered from the other neurological symptoms and has been free of tumour recurrence for 4 years after surgery.