Primary ectopic parasellar craniopharyngioma: a case report

BACKGROUND: Craniopharyngioma (CP) is a slow-growing, benign tumor of the central nervous system located within the sellar and suprasellar regions. The tumor may extend from the suprasellar region to other areas. CPs are generally believed to originate from squamous remnants of an incompletely involuted craniopharyngeal duct that also develops from Rathke’s pouch. Primary parasellar craniopharyngioma is a relatively rare tumor, and nasal endoscopy, computed tomography, and enhanced magnetic resonance imaging can be applied to better evaluate the invasiveness and characteristics of these tumors. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of right parasellar craniopharyngioma in a 49-year-old female patient with a 10-day history of dizziness and blurred vision. Preoperative imaging examination revealed right parasellar space-occupying lesions, and the patient underwent transnasal neuroendoscopic resection of the right parasellar space-occupying lesion. The postoperative pathological result confirmed craniopharyngioma. CONCLUSIONS: Primary ectopic parasellar craniopharyngioma is a relatively rare tumor, and preoperative imaging examination can assist in the evaluation of tumor characteristics. However, the final diagnosis continues to depend on the histopathological results.