title: Face and neck neurogenic neoplasms.
abstract: Surgeons should be aware that any mass in the region of the cranial nerves, brachial plexus, cervical sympathetic plexus, or a major peripheral nerve can be of neurogenic origin. Solitary neurogenic tumors of the head and neck can simulate metastatic masses or congenital lesions. If they are resected unrecognized and/or without regard to their nerve origin, major and permanent nerve defects can unnecessarily occur. Thirty-two patients, 16 males and 16 females, ranging in age from 5 to 69 years, had 33 extracranial solitary neurogenic neoplasms resected. The nerves involved were the cervical sympathetic plexus in 7 patients, branchial plexus in 6, spinal accessory nerve in 5, vagus nerve in 4, hypoglossal nerve in 3, facial nerve in 2, and 6 other nerves in 1 patient each. The technique is to dissect out the neurilemoma without destroying the nerve sheath or nerve trunk. Despite careful dissection, the four patients with masses of the vagus nerve had permanent ipsilateral cord paralysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McAlpin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001917:Brachial Plexus; D002572:Cervical Plexus; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005153:Facial Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D005154:Facial Nerve; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007002:Hypoglossal Nerve; D007823:Laryngeal Nerves; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010524:Peripheral Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D012009:Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve; D013127:Spinal Nerves; D014630:Vagus Nerve