ABSTRACT
The etiology, pathogenesis, histopathologic diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of
giant cell reparative granulomas of the skull are controversial. We report a 14-year-old
girl with an advanced recurrent giant cell reparative granuloma of the skull base
and paranasal sinuses whose only clinical manifestation was a loss of vision. After
undergoing endovascular catheter embolization, the patient underwent repeated surgical
resections of the mass via a combined frontobasal and modified infratemporal approach
followed by radiation therapy. Histopathologic examination confirmed the diagnosis
of giant cell reparative granuloma. A traumatic event in the patient's history-a fossa
canina abscess followed by tooth extraction 14 months before admission-supports the
theory of a reactive reparative process as a pathogenetic mechanism for this disease.
Histopathologic criteria and clinical aggressiveness must be considered to achieve
adequate treatment of giant cell lesions of the skull.
KEYWORD
Giant cell reparative granulomas - giant cell tumor - skull base