Pediatric non-orbital pseudotumor of the head and neck.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the incidence, sites of presentation, and treatment outcome of non-orbital pseudotumor of the head and neck in the pediatric population.


METHODS
10-year retrospective case series at a tertiary care center. All patients 18 years of age and younger with non-orbital pseudotumor of the head and neck evaluated and treated at our institution over the study period (1990-2000) were identified through the Systematic Nomenclature of Medicine (SNOMED) database with the keyword 'pseudotumor'.


RESULTS
Among 146 patients identified with head and neck pseudotumor at our institution, 15 (10%) were pediatric patients, only three (20%) of whom had pseudotumor in non-orbital sites (the infratemporal and pterygopalatine fossae, submandibular gland, and masseter space). Four (27%) of the 15 had pseudotumor limited to the lacrimal gland, with the remaining eight (53%) being orbital pseudotumor cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Similar to cases of orbital pseudotumor, long term systemic steroid therapy proved effective in the management of non-orbital pseudotumor in all three children with eventual disease resolution.
Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA 02114, USA. shilpreddy@hotmail.com
Shilpa Reddy
SR
Cherukupally
Leila A
LA
Mankarious
William
W
Faquin
Michael J
MJ
Cunningham
D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D016727:Orbital Pseudotumor / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed