HEAD AND NECK SCHWANNOMAS: CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OUTCOMES FOLLOWING TOTAL SURGICAL EXCISION
1İzmir Katip Çelebi Üniversitesi Atatürk Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, KBB Kliniği, İzmir, Türkiye2Nusaybin Devlet Hastanesi, KBB Kliniği, Mardin, Türkiye Introduction: The aim of this study is to present the clinical features of non-vestibular head and neck schwannomas and to present functional outcomes following total surgical excision of these tumors.
Materials and methods: Medical records of 23 cases who underwent surgery for head and neck schwannomas in a tertiary referral center between June 2008 and June 2016 were reviewed. Patients' demographic data, major symptoms, tumor locations, preoperative radiologic and histopathologic findings, tumors" nerve of origins (NOO), surgical procedures and intraoperative findings, postoperative complications, and histopathologic results were analyzed.
Results: Patients were 11 females and 12 males. The mean age was 37.1 (14-76 years). The most common symptom was painless mass in the neck (%47). Anterior cervical regions were the most frequent locations. In 13 cases the NOO was identified before or during the surgery. In four cases the NOO was the facial nerve, in three cases cervical sympathetic chain and in two cases the vagal nerve. All cases were treated surgically and in 21 (%91) cases the tumor was completely resected. Except for the four cases, in which the tumors were located at the subcutaneous tissues of the head and neck, eight cases out of 19 (%42) had postoperative nerve injuries regarding the NOO.
Conclusion: Head and neck schwannomas are rare and benign tumors. The most present symptom is a painless mass at the neck. When the tumor is totally resected, it's not always possible to preserve the NOO's functions and/or integrity. Therefore, patients should be preoperatively informed about the complications and possible outcomes of the procedure.
Keywords : Schwannoma, extracranial, head and neck