Traumatic Neuromas of the Facial Nerve

The temporal bones in two patients contained asymptomatic neuromas of the facial nerve and a third patient had an identical tumor of the chorda tympani. All three neuromas occurred in the presence of chronic inflammatory middle ear disease. Histologically all three resembled traumatic (repairative) neuromas. Both of the facial nerve lesions occurred at a site of frequent fallopian canal dehiscence. It is suggested that occasionally, long-term exposure to the facial nerve to chronic inflammation results in proliferation of neurofibrils leading to neuroma formation.