Internal auditory canal lipomas. Clinical experience and literature review
Main Article Content
Keywords
Lipoma, internal auditory canal, magnetic resonance imaging
Abstract
Two case reports with diagnosis of internal auditory canal lipomas are presented. Lipomas of the internal auditory canal are benign neoplasms, making up 0.15% of all tumors in this area. They occur more frequently in the third to fifth decade of life predominantly in Caucasian males. The are clinically and audiologically indistinguishable from other tumors in this region, with eighth cranial nerve schwannomas (vestibular schwannomas) being the most common IAC tumor (90%). MRI findings allow for specific diagnosis of a lipoma. Regarding treatment, surgery has been displaced by a conservative treatment of this rare lesion. Lipomas are slow growth lesions, without malignant transformation, and with inherent difficulties to their removal because of the adipose tissue infiltrating the nerve, as well as only partial resolution of symptoms in most cases. Surgery could only be indicated when relevant and disabling symptoms are present.
