[Facial nerve Schwannoma misdiagnosed as middle ear cholesteatoma: a case report].

Facial nerve Schwannomas (FNS) are uncommon tumors of the temporal bone, which arise from the Schwann cells and may involve any area of the facial nerve. The clinical manifestation of FNS vary based on tumor size and location, mainly presenting hearing loss and FN paralysis. MRI and computed tomography are the main diagnostic test for FNS. Thin-sectioned MRI with gadolinium can positively identify a enhancing lesion along the FN. Because of its lower morbidity, we always misdiagnose it as other middle ear related deseases, such as middle ear cholesteatoma mentioned in this paper.