The diagnosis and treatment of vagal paraganglioma in the parapharyngeal space

Abstract

Objective: To study the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of vagal paraganglioma in parapharyngeal space. Methods: Nine cases with vagal paraganglioma in parapharyngeal space were retrospectively analyzed who were diagnosed and treated between January 2006 and December 2018 in Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital and the First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital. There were 6 males and 3 females, aged from 24 to 50 years old. The main symptoms in the 9 patients were hoarseness and neck mass, and the secondary symptoms were irritating cough, cough on drinking and dysphagia. The main sign was a well-circumscribed round mass, tough in texture, with or without ipsilateral lateral oropharyngeal wall uplift and vocal cord paralysis. The tumors were located between the bifurcation of the carotid artery and the jugular foramen in 7 cases and intruded into jugular fossa in 2 cases. All the 9 patients underwent head and neck enhancement CT and MRI and 7 cases received digital subtraction angiography (DSA) examination and balloon occlusion test. The imaging features were tumors with rich blood supply in the parapharyngeal space of the upper neck, and the tumors were heterogeneous enhanced with contrast CT scan and enhanced MRI, which were closely related to the internal carotid artery, external carotid artery and jugular vein. Results: Among these 9 patients, 8 underwent surgical resection of tumors, including complete tumor resection in 7 cases and partial tumor resection in 2 case. One patient underwent partial tumor resection after being transferred to vascular surgery. There was no recurrence in 7 patients with complete tumor resection and slow growth was shown in 2 patients with partial tumor resection. Posterior cranial nerve injury occurred in 2 patients and stroke in 1 patient due to intraoperative ligation of internal carotid artery. Conclusions: Vagal paraganglioma in the parapharyngeal space is rich in blood supply and closely related to the internal and external carotid arteries, internal jugular vein and posterior cranial nerves. Surgical resection is the first choice for treatments. Choosing a reasonable operative approach for fully exposing the operative field and completely removing the tumor while protecting the internal carotid artery are the keys to successful surgery.