Download PDF
J Brachial Plex Peripher Nerve Inj 2016; 11(01): e48-e54
DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1594010
Review Article
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Large Cervical Vagus Nerve Tumor in a Patient with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 Treated with Gross Total Resection: Case Report and Review of the Literature

David P. Bray   *
1   Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States
,
Andrew K. Chan   *
2   Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States
,
Cynthia T. Chin
3   Department of Neuroradiology, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States
,
Line Jacques
2   Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

17 May 2016

04 October 2016

Publication Date:
16 November 2016 (online)

Also available at
   Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

Neurofibromas are benign peripheral nerve sheath tumors that occur commonly in individuals with neurocutaneous disorders such as neurofibromatosis type 1. Vagal nerve neurofibromas, however, are a relatively rare occurrence. We present the case of a 22-year-old man with neurofibromatosis type 1 with a neurofibroma of the left cervical vagal nerve. The mass was resected through an anterior approach without major event. In the postoperative course, the patient developed left vocal cord paralysis treated with medialization with injectable gel. We then present a comprehensive review of the literature for surgical resection of vagal nerve neurofibromas.

Keywords

vagus nerve tumor - cervical vagus nerve - neurofibromatosis type 1 - neurofibroma - neck mass - diffusion tensor imaging

* David P. Bray and Andrew K. Chan contributed equally into this article.


 

  • References

  • 1 Kumar V, Abbas AK, Aster JC, Robbins SL. Robbins Basic Pathology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier/Saunders; 2013
    Google Scholar
  • 2 McClatchey AI. Neurofibromatosis. Annu Rev Pathol 2007; 2: 191-216
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 3 Marocchio LS, Oliveira DT, Pereira MC, Soares CT, Fleury RN. Sporadic and multiple neurofibromas in the head and neck region: a retrospective study of 33 years. Clin Oral Investig 2007; 11 (2) 165-169
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 4 Friedman JM. Epidemiology of neurofibromatosis type 1. Am J Med Genet 1999; 89 (1) 1-6
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 5 Packer RJ, Gutmann DH, Rubenstein A , et al. Plexiform neurofibromas in NF1: toward biologic-based therapy. Neurology 2002; 58 (10) 1461-1470
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 Green Jr JD, Olsen KD, DeSanto LW, Scheithauer BW. Neoplasms of the vagus nerve. Laryngoscope 1988; 98 (6, Pt 1) 648-654
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 Donner TR, Voorhies RM, Kline DG. Neural sheath tumors of major nerves. J Neurosurg 1994; 81 (3) 362-373
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 8 Gilmer-Hill HS, Kline DG. Neurogenic tumors of the cervical vagus nerve: report of four cases and review of the literature. Neurosurgery 2000; 46 (6) 1498-1503
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 Chang SC, Schi YM. Neurilemmoma of the vagus nerve. A case report and brief literature review. Laryngoscope 1984; 94 (7) 946-949
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 St Pierre S, Theriault R, Leclerc JE. Schwannomas of the vagus nerve in the head and neck. J Otolaryngol 1985; 14 (3) 167-170
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 11 Kline DG, Hudson AR. Nerve Injuries: Operative Results for Major Nerve Injuries, Entrapments, and Tumors. 1st ed. Philadelphia, PA: W.B. Saunders; 1995
    Google Scholar
  • 12 Peetermans JF, Van de Heyning PH, Parizel PM , et al. Neurofibroma of the vagus nerve in the head and neck: a case report. Head Neck 1991; 13 (1) 56-61
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 13 Persson AV, Frusha JD, Dial PF, Jewell ER. Vagal body tumor: paraganglioma of the head and neck. CA Cancer J Clin 1985; 35 (4) 232-237
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 14 Moore G, Yarington Jr CT, Mangham Jr CA. Vagal body tumors: diagnosis and treatment. Laryngoscope 1986; 96 (5) 533-536
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 15 Latham K, Buchanan EP, Suver D, Gruss JS. Neurofibromatosis of the head and neck: classification and surgical management. Plast Reconstr Surg 2015; 135 (3) 845-855
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 16 Park CS, Suh KW, Kim CK. Neurilemmomas of the cervical vagus nerve. Head Neck 1991; 13 (5) 439-441
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 17 Scheithauer BW, Erdogan S, Rodriguez FJ , et al. Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors of cranial nerves and intracranial contents: a clinicopathologic study of 17 cases. Am J Surg Pathol 2009; 33 (3) 325-338
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 18 Dabir RR, Piccione Jr W, Kittle CF. Intrathoracic tumors of the vagus nerve. Ann Thorac Surg 1990; 50 (3) 494-497
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 19 Friedman JM, Birch PH. Type 1 neurofibromatosis: a descriptive analysis of the disorder in 1,728 patients. Am J Med Genet 1997; 70 (2) 138-143
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 20 Créange A, Zeller J, Rostaing-Rigattieri S , et al. Neurological complications of neurofibromatosis type 1 in adulthood. Brain 1999; 122 (Pt 3) 473-481
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 21 Riccardi VM. Neurofibromatosis: Phenotype, Natural History, and Pathogenesis. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press; 1992
    Google Scholar
  • 22 Huson SM, Harper PS, Compston DA. Von Recklinghausen neurofibromatosis. A clinical and population study in south-east Wales. Brain 1988; 111 (Pt 6) 1355-1381
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 23 Kim DH, Murovic JA, Tiel RL, Moes G, Kline DG. A series of 397 peripheral neural sheath tumors: 30-year experience at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. J Neurosurg 2005; 102 (2) 246-255
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 24 Pacelli J, Whitaker CH. Brachial plexopathy due to malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor in neurofibromatosis type 1: case report and subject review. Muscle Nerve 2006; 33 (5) 697-700
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 25 McGaughran JM, Harris DI, Donnai D , et al. A clinical study of type 1 neurofibromatosis in north west England. J Med Genet 1999; 36 (3) 197-203
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 26 Ducatman BS, Scheithauer BW, Piepgras DG, Reiman HM, Ilstrup DM. Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors. A clinicopathologic study of 120 cases. Cancer 1986; 57 (10) 2006-2021
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 27 Hruban RH, Shiu MH, Senie RT, Woodruff JM. Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors of the buttock and lower extremity. A study of 43 cases. Cancer 1990; 66 (6) 1253-1265
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 28 Kourea HP, Bilsky MH, Leung DH, Lewis JJ, Woodruff JM. Subdiaphragmatic and intrathoracic paraspinal malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors: a clinicopathologic study of 25 patients and 26 tumors. Cancer 1998; 82 (11) 2191-2203
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 29 Woodruff JM. Pathology of tumors of the peripheral nerve sheath in type 1 neurofibromatosis. Am J Med Genet 1999; 89 (1) 23-30
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 30 Giovagnorio F, Martinoli C. Sonography of the cervical vagus nerve: normal appearance and abnormal findings. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2001; 176 (3) 745-749
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 31 Singh T, Kliot M. Imaging of peripheral nerve tumors. Neurosurg Focus 2007; 22 (6) E6
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 32 Kuntz IV C, Blake L, Britz G , et al. Magnetic resonance neurography of peripheral nerve lesions in the lower extremity. Neurosurgery 1996; 39 (4) 750-756 , discussion 756–757
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 33 Cage TA, Yuh EL, Hou SW , et al. Visualization of nerve fibers and their relationship to peripheral nerve tumors by diffusion tensor imaging. Neurosurg Focus 2015; 39 (3) E16
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 34 Stoll G, Bendszus M, Perez J, Pham M. Magnetic resonance imaging of the peripheral nervous system. J Neurol 2009; 256 (7) 1043-1051
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 35 Li CS, Huang GS, Wu HD , et al. Differentiation of soft tissue benign and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors with magnetic resonance imaging. Clin Imaging 2008; 32 (2) 121-127
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 36 Chhabra A, Thakkar RS, Andreisek G , et al. Anatomic MR imaging and functional diffusion tensor imaging of peripheral nerve tumors and tumorlike conditions. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2013; 34 (4) 802-807
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 37 Yuh EL, Jain Palrecha S, Lagemann GM , et al. Diffusivity measurements differentiate benign from malignant lesions in patients with peripheral neuropathy or plexopathy. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2015; 36 (1) 202-209
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 38 Yamasaki F, Kurisu K, Satoh K , et al. Apparent diffusion coefficient of human brain tumors at MR imaging. Radiology 2005; 235 (3) 985-991
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 39 Nagata S, Nishimura H, Uchida M , et al. Diffusion-weighted imaging of soft tissue tumors: usefulness of the apparent diffusion coefficient for differential diagnosis. Radiat Med 2008; 26 (5) 287-295
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 40 Russell SM. Preserve the nerve: microsurgical resection of peripheral nerve sheath tumors. Neurosurgery 2007; 61 (3, Suppl): 113-117 , discussion 117–118
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 41 Safaee M, Parsa AT, Barbaro NM , et al. Association of tumor location, extent of resection, and neurofibromatosis status with clinical outcomes for 221 spinal nerve sheath tumors. Neurosurg Focus 2015; 39 (2) E5
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 42 Maniker AH. Diagnostic steps, imaging, and electrophysiology. Neurosurg Clin N Am 2004; 15 (2) 133-144 , v
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 43 Ball JR, Biggs MT. Operative steps in management of benign nerve sheath tumors. Neurosurg Focus 2007; 22 (6) E7
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 44 Kline DG, Judice DJ. Operative management of selected brachial plexus lesions. J Neurosurg 1983; 58 (5) 631-649
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 45 Arviso LC, Johns III MM, Mathison CC, Klein AM. Long-term outcomes of injection laryngoplasty in patients with potentially recoverable vocal fold paralysis. Laryngoscope 2010; 120 (11) 2237-2240
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 46 Katz AD, Passy V, Kaplan L. Neurogenous neoplasms of major nerves of face and neck. Arch Surg 1971; 103 (1) 51-56
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 47 Brandenburg JH. Neurogenic tumors of the parapharyngeal space. Laryngoscope 1972; 82 (7) 1292-1305
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 48 Maisel RH, Ogura JH. Neurofibromatosis with laryngeal involvement. Laryngoscope 1974; 84 (1) 132-140
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 49 Andrioli G, Rigobello L, Mingrino S, Toso V. Tapia's syndrome caused by a neurofibroma of the hypoglossal and vagus nerves: case report. J Neurosurg 1980; 52 (5) 730-732
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 50 Kuniak B, Strelka J. Malignant neurofibroma of the cervical portion of the vagus nerve [in Slovak]. Cesk Otolaryngol 1990; 39 (5) 313-317
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 51 Shimizu H, Yoshihara T, Sakurai H, Nozaki M. Cervical neurofibroma in a patient with von Recklinghausen's disease. Auris Nasus Larynx 1994; 21 (4) 253-257
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 52 Fujino K, Shinohara K, Aoki M, Hashimoto K, Omori K. Intracapsular enucleation of vagus nerve-originated tumors for preservation of neural function. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2000; 123 (3) 334-336
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 53 Ilgner J, Rojas W, Biesterfeld S, Schürmann K, Zimny M, Westhofen M. Low-grade malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor of the neck soft tissues [in German]. Laryngorhinootologie 2001; 80 (1) 39-42
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 54 Ozcan M, Tuncel U, Unal A, Erdogan A, Han O, Nalca Y. Concomitant vagal neurofibroma and aplasia of the internal carotid artery in neurofibromatosis type 1. Ear Nose Throat J 2001; 80 (10) 730-732 , 734, 737
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 55 Kuzu Y, Beppu T, Sibanai K, Ogasawara K, Ogawa A, Kurose A. A case of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor originating from the cervical vagus nerve [in Japanese]. No Shinkei Geka 2002; 30 (5) 523-526
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 56 Cihangiroglu M, Yilmaz S, Topsakal C, Gok U, Altinsoy B, Cobanoglu B. Laryngeal neurofibroma associated with neurofibromatosis type 2. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2002; 23 (10) 1637-1639
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 57 Molina AR, Brasch H, Tan ST. Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour of the cervical vagus nerve in a neurofibromatosis type 1 patient. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg 2006; 59 (12) 1458-1462
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 58 Matejcik V, Steno J, Haviarova Z, Mravec B. Neurofibroma of the vagus nerve in the cervical portion. Bratisl Lek Listy (Tlacene Vyd) 2008; 109 (10) 455-458
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 59 Guler AK, Gunaldi O, Alis H, Tugcu B, Tanriverdi O, Colluoglu B. Cervical segment nervus vagus neurofibroma with associated neurofibromatosis type 1: a case report. Minim Invasive Neurosurg 2009; 52 (5–6) 246-249
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 60 Sesenna E, Magri AS, Corradi D, Ferri T, Ferri A. Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor of the vagus nerve in a teenager with the neurofibromatosis 1 gene mutation: a case report. J Pediatr Surg 2011; 46 (8) e9-e12
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 61 Yazar O, Topal H, Streukens S. A painless neck swelling and von Recklinghausen. Acta Chir Belg 2014; 114 (1) 84-86
    PubMedGoogle Scholar