Work

Facial nerve palsy: an atypical sign of glomus jugulare tumour recurrence

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: We present a rare case of recurrent glomus jugulare tumour, manifesting as an isolated facial nerve palsy. Glomus jugulare tumours are slow-growing paragangliomas of the jugular bulb adventitia. We report the case of a 73-year-old female referred for oculoplastic management of a facial nerve palsy, with a history of a right-sided glomus jugulare tumour treated surgically 40 years prior. Her 6-month history of facial palsy had initially been attributed towards Bell's palsy, particularly in the context of communication challenges related to residual dysphonia and hearing loss following her prior skull-base surgery. This case underscores the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion in patients with atypical or high-risk clinical features and highlights the necessity of timely neuroimaging to exclude underlying structural pathology.

Source: Journal of Surgical Case Reports

DOI: 10.1093/jscr/rjag326

Authors: Geraldine Z Y Lee, Alexandra I Manta

Institutions: The University of Sydney, The University of Queensland, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Queensland Eye Institute

Language: English

Topic: Adrenal and Paraganglionic Tumors

Subfield: Surgery

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,000