A case of expansile ancient schwannoma of the nose and paranasal sinuses

A rare case of a unilateral nasal mass involving the left nasal cavity and the paranasal sinuses in a 54-year old man with progressive left nasal obstruction is presented. A polypoid mass in the left nasal cavity was evident from anterior rhinoscopy. Computed tomography scan revealed soft tissue attenuation in the left nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses with an erosion of the nasal septum and the compression of the lamina papyracea of left orbit with an extension to its extra-conal space, which suggested the expansile nature of the mass. It was excised endoscopically and found to be an ancient schwannoma, known from histopathological and immunohistochemical studies, which was a rare occurrence in nose and paranasal sinuses.