An unusual cause of hemifacial spasm

Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is a movement disorder characterized by involuntary paroxysmal chronic contractions of the facial musculature. The usual cause is vascular compression of the seventh cranial nerve, at its exit zone from the brain stem. We report a case of left hemifacial spasm, in a 66-year-ol d woman, in which the neuroradiological investigation with magnetic resonan ce imaging showed a hypervascular soft tissue mass arising from the left sk ull base, in the jugular foramen. This lesion was thought highly likely to be a glomus jugulare tumour. While the usual occurrence of tumour compressi on causing HFS has been previously recognized, the association of glomus ju gulare tumours presenting with HFS has not. The importance of this associat ion is discussed.