Facial Nerve Hemangioma of the Lateral Portion of the Internal Acoustic Canal

Facial nerve hemangiomas are rare tumors. Although they can occur in any portion of the facial nerve, they mostly appear near the geniculate ganglion. We present a case of facial nerve hemangioma located in the lateral portion of the internal acoustic canal, a quite unusual location. The patient underwent a translabyrinthine approach and total tumor resection. The facial nerve was sectioned from the tympanic portion decompressed from the fallopian canal, and rotated inferiorly to a hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis. The patient developed HB VI facial paralysis in the immediate postoperative period but showed improved facial mobility in a 6-month follow-up, with only mild tongue palsy.