Epithelioid haemangioendothelioma of the sphenoid bone.

The authors report a case of cranial EH occurred in the left sphenoid bone that was totally excised without transfusion. A 26-year-old woman presented with a 1-year history of progressing exophthalmos in the left eye. A cranial X-ray showed a mixed osteolytic and sclerotic expansile mass lesion in the left sphenoid bone. Neuroradiologic imaging study revealed a left temporosphenoidal extra-axial expansile mass lesion with heterogeneous enhancement after contrast enhancement associated with destruction and erosion of the temporal and sphenoid bones. The cerebral parenchyma and orbital contents were compressed without any sign of infiltration. Bone scan showed hot uptake in the left orbital region. Angiogram demonstrated marked neoplastic angiogenesis from the middle meningeal artery and other branches of left external carotid artery, for which preoperative embolisation was tried in vain. Cranio-orbito-zygomatic approach was undergone in two stages because of the patient's religious belief (patient was Jehovah's witness) and profuse bleeding during the first surgery. Two weeks after initial operation, second surgery was carried out with total excision of the residual mass in the left orbital ridge. Histopathological examination revealed typical epithelioid cell cords or nests in myxoid stroma with a positive immunoreactivity to factor VIII-related antigen. The authors report an unusual case of EH involving sphenoid and temporal bone in a young woman. Preoperative embolisation is thought to be absolutely essential before removal. Because there is no convincing data to advise radiation/chemotherapy, total resection and close follow-up may be reasonable. Copyright 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.