EXPECTED NEUROLOGIC OUTCOMES FOR SURGICAL-TREATMENT OF CERVICAL NEURILEMOMAS

Objective: Neurilemomas are classically described as fusiform tumors t hat eccentrically displace the undisturbed neural fascicles, The autho rs seek to clarify the relationship of cervical neurilemomas to their nerve of origin and assess the functional outcome of surgical extirpat ion, Study Design: A retrospective review of clinical, intraoperative, and histopathologic data of six patients with cervical extracranial n eurilemomas, Methods: Additional histochemical staining of the patholo gic specimens was performed to evaluate the tumor for neurites, A comp rehensive literature review of cervical neurilemoma cases and meta ana lysis of clinical outcomes in these cases were performed. Results: In the series of five consecutive cervical neurilemomas, only one was an eccentric mass pushing the undisturbed nerve aside, In the five other cases, excision of the neurilemoma required complete nerve excision. N eural elements traveling through the central portions of the tumor wer e clearly demonstrated histologically. Collective analysis of the lite rature on cervical neurilemomas revealed that although some cases allo w nerve preservation, preservation of function is frequently poor, Con clusions: This experience and that reported in the literature suggest that it is frequently impossible to preserve the function of the nerve of origin with surgical treatment of cervical neurilemomas.