Solitary neurofibroma arising from the infratemporal fossa in a child

Abstract

Neurofibromas are derived from the nerve sheath and are commonly located in the head and neck region. They usually occur between the ages of 30 and 50 years. Neurofibromas arising from the infratemporal fossa are quite rare, especially in children. We describe a solitary neurofibroma arising from the infratemporal fossa in an 8-year-old boy who presented with a painless mass in his right cheek. Computed tomographic scan showed a soft-density, not well-circumscribed mass located in the right infratemporal fossa. The tumor was resected via the transmandibular approach with an excellent outcome. The histologic examination with immunohistochemical staining yielded the diagnosis of neurofibroma.