title: An unusually large cavernous hemangioma of retropharyngeal space: a rare case.
abstract: Hemangiomas rarely occur in the retropharyngeal space with only several cases reported in the current literature. This article reports the hemangiomas of retropharyngeal space. A 55-year-old woman was referred to our institution for dysphagia. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of the neck and spine revealed a large, well-circumscribed, dense mass that extended from the retropharyngeal space to the sides of the neck. Patient underwent direct excision of the lesion. Complete regression of symptoms was observed after surgery, with no lesions found on routine 24-month follow-up. Although hemangiomas are relatively common in the head and neck, those that originate in the retropharyngeal space are very rarely observed. These benign tumors have the potential to compress adjacent tissues or organs and thereby produce associated symptoms like dysphagia and dyspnea. We present the reported case of larger hemangiomas of the retropharyngeal space and detail their management.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, and 2Department of Pathology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Linli
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Jiarui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yufei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiao
authors.forename: Tianyi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006392:Hemangioma, Cavernous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D010610:Pharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: Cavernous hemangioma; High aerodigestive way compression; Retropharyngeal space