Foramen magnum schwannoma with an unusual clinical presentation: case report

This case report illustrates a patient with a unilateral localized epidural schwannoma at C1 – 2 level, showing contralateral spinal cord symptoms and signs. The clinical presentation was compared with the neuroradiological examinations showing an epidural cord tumor at the right C1 – C2 level. However, the neurological examination revealed contralateral hemiparesis and ipsilateral hemihypoalgesia, indicating a contralateral Brown – Sequard syndrome. We presumed with this slow growing tumor, contralateral cord involvement may result from counter pressure on the spinal cord, which may be generated by cord deviation and by frequent neck rotation.