Vestibular schwannoma presenting as unilateral vocal cord palsy - an unusual and atypical presentation

Abstract

Vestibular Schwannoma (VS) is a slow-growing, benign tumor of the vestibulocochlear nerve. It commonly presents with otologic symptoms, mainly unilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and vestibular disturbance. Other rare presentations have been reported when the tumor is large and causes compression of structures within the Cerebellopontine Angle (CPA). Advancement in the diagnosis of VS using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has led to early diagnosis and incidental identification of the tumor when imaging is done for other non-neurotologic indications. We hereby report the case of unilateral vocal cord palsy in a patient with VS diagnosed on MRI scanning of the brain.