CO(2) Laser for the Treatment of Auricle Schwannoma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Patient: Male, 23 Final Diagnosis: Auricular schwannoma (root of the helix) Symptoms: Erythematous neoplasm Medication: — Clinical Procedure: Surgery Specialty: Otolaryngology OBJECTIVE: Unusual clinical course BACKGROUND: Schwannoma, also called neuroma or neurolemmoma, is a tumor originating from the Schwann cells surrounding the nerves. It is an isolated benign tumor and its transformation into malignant cancer is very rare. Relatively uncommon, it is only the 5% of all the tumors of soft tissues. Its localization in the head and neck region accounts for up to 25–45% of schwannomas. In the outer ear, it commonly involves the external auditory canal, while auricle and tympanic membranes are very rare localizations of schwannomas. CASE REPORT: We report a case of a 23-year-old male with a 3-year medical history of a growing neoplasm located in the left auricle concha, which was treated with a carbon dioxide laser (CO(2) laser) under local anesthesia. CONCLUSIONS: Using a CO(2) laser allowed us to easily remove the tumor, reduce bleeding and surgical time, and avoid sutures and thus unsightly scars on the face. No complications and no relapse at 5 years of follow-up occurred.