Primary facial canal paraganglioma

Paraganglioma is the most common neoplasm in the temporal bone aside from acoustic neuromas.lJ Secondary invasion of the facial nerve and the descending facial canal by paragangliomas was well described.3-6 Primary paragangliomas arising from the descending facial canal itself represent a rare entity; 5 cases were reported in the literature.7-g We report a case of history of progressive facial paralysis and pulsatile tinnitus associated with a red retrotympanic membrane mass. Computed tomography (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) indicated that these symptoms were related to a vascular tumor developing within the descending facial canal, which was confirmed histologically as a paraganglioma after surgical removal and facial nerve grafting.