Rare case of extracranial chordoid meningioma adjacent to the carotid sheath: illustrative case

Abstract

BACKGROUND Chordoid meningioma is a rare World Health Organization (WHO) grade 2 variant of meningioma with histological features resembling those of a chordoma. This tumor type is known for having an aggressive clinical course with a propensity for local recurrence. Most cases occur within the cranium, more specifically around the cerebral convexities. Although extracranial meningiomas of various subtypes have been documented, extracranial meningioma with a chordoid subtype is an extremely rare entity. OBSERVATIONS The authors herein report the case of a 51-year-old female who presented with a chief complaint of dysphagia and was found to have a neck mass abutting the carotid sheath. The patient underwent resection and final pathology results revealed a WHO grade 2 chordoid meningioma. LESSONS This case report demonstrates an atypical case of an extracranial chordoid meningioma adjacent to the carotid sheath. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first reported case of a chordoid meningioma occurring within the soft tissue of the neck.

Primary extracranial meningioma of the pelvis discovered on screening pelvic examination

“…In contrast, extracranial, or ectopic, meningiomas are noted to make up less than 1% of all meningiomas 3. Though the vast majority of extracranial meningiomas occur in the head and neck,4–9 there are rare cases reported in the literature occurring in the thoracic cavity,10–12 carotid sinus,13 and kidney 14…”