title: [Parapharyngeal tumors: diagnosis and treatment].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Parapharyngeal space tumors are rare and usually benign. Their treatment is surgical and many approaches have been described. We report our experience in managing these neoplasms. Two points are developed more fully: the correlation between imaging and surgical observation and the reliability of the cervical approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of primary parapharyngeal space tumors treated at the Rennes University Hospital between 1992 and 2004 is presented. Nine patients were included, all treated surgically with a cervical approach without parotidectomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight MR imaging and seven CT scans were done. Two retrostyloid tumors and six prestyloid tumors, all independent of the deep lobe of the parotid gland, were found. They were benign in all cases (five salivary tumors and four schwannomas). Two patients treated for a pleomorphic adenoma presented recurrence and were reoperated successfully. The average follow-up was 66 months. None of the patients died. Definitive postoperative complications occurred only for neurogenic tumors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The cervical approach is safe and allows the surgical excision of retrostyloid and prestyloid tumors, independent of the deep lobe of the parotid gland. Large tumor (8cm in our study) excision can be done with few complications. An attentive study of preoperative imaging is necessary to choose the best surgical approach.
authors.affiliation: Service d'otorhinolaryngologie et chirurgie maxillofaciale, CHU Pontchaillou, rue Henri-Le-Guillou, 35033 Rennes cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bouilloud
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jégoux
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caze
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Godey
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Le Clech
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010610:Pharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies