%0 Case Reports
%T A rare case of vestibular schwannoma manifesting as trigeminal neuralgia.
%A Ananthan S
%A Kumar U
%A Johnson S
%J J Am Dent Assoc
%V 155
%N 2
%D 2024 02 29
%M 38032593
%F 3.454
%R 10.1016/j.adaj.2023.10.004
%X In this case report, the authors reviewed a rare case of a vestibular schwannoma manifesting as trigeminal neuralgia (TN). Intracranial tumors can have a variety of orofacial pain symptoms. Among benign cerebellopontine angle tumors, vestibular schwannoma is the most common cause of a TN-like manifestation. Although the most common symptoms of a vestibular schwannoma are hearing loss and vestibulopathy, the unique feature of this case was the manifestation of symptoms consistent with TN.<BR>The patient had right-sided episodic facial pain that was short in duration and severe in intensity. The initial differential diagnoses included short-lasting, unilateral, neuralgiform headache attacks with conjunctival injection and tearing and TN. As part of the routine evaluation, the patient was referred for brain magnetic resonance imaging, which revealed a right-sided vestibular schwannoma. The patient was prescribed 200 mg of gabapentin 3 times daily and was referred to neurosurgery for excision of the schwannoma. Surgical excision resulted in complete resolution of pain.<BR>This case illustrates the importance of interdisciplinary treatment and how it can lead to an optimal outcome for a patient with complex orofacial pain symptoms.