Surgical treatment of benign tumors of parapharyngeal space

Abstract

Background: Neoplasms of the oropharynx and parapharyngeal space are quite rare, characterized by nonspecific development of the disease, and the involvement of important anatomical structures in the pathological process. Problems of diagnosis and choice of tactics of surgical treatment are relevant today. Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of transoral approach when removing benign tumors of the parapharyngeal space. Materials and methods: In State Institution “O.S. Kolomiychenko Institute of Otolaryngology of National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine” in recent years, 92 patients underwent surgical treatment with benign tumors of the parapharyngeal space. Men – 39 (42.4%), women – 53 (57.6%). All patients underwent total removal of the tumor in the parapharyngeal space by transoral approach. Results: In patients evaluated the postoperative period, the type of postoperative wound healing, the presence of complications and the quality of life. The following postoperative complications were observed: in 13 (14.1%) patients lockjaw was observed, which regressed on average for 2-3 days, bleeding from the postoperative site in the early postoperative period – 4 (4.3%) and acute cerebrovascular accident in the early postoperative period in 1 patient (1.1%). Conclusions: Given the good blood supply to the parapharyngeal space, bleeding is one of the most common complications. Vascular complications are more common when neurogenic or vascular tumors are removed. Angiography is useful in evaluating post-styloid lesions in order to demonstrate their connection with large vessels and differentiate neurogenic and vascular lesions. The advantages of transoral removal of the tumors of the parapharyngeal space are the absence of cosmetic defects, the rapid healing of postoperative wounds and the rapid restoration of the patient’s working capacity.