Secondary extracranial meningiomas extending into the paranasal sinuses.

Meningiomas are well-recognized tumors of the central nervous system. Extracranial meningiomas, secondarily extended into the paranasal sinuses, are rare tumors, comprising approximately 2% of all meningiomas. Extracranial meningiomas of the paranasal sinuses may present a diagnostic and the rapeutic challenge. We present a retrospective review comprising three cases and discuss the clinical presentation, imaging findings,diagnostic evaluation, and treatment options. The localizations included the frontal sinus, the ethmoid sinus, the sphenoid sinus and even the maxillary sinus. Complete surgical resection was achieved in one patient; meanwhile deliberate subtotal tumor resection was performed in the other cases in order to avoid severe neurological damage with sufficient tumor control.