title: Parapharyngeal space tumors: Fifty-one cases managed in a single tertiary care center.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  Pre-operative planning for parapharyngeal tumors must include meticulous analysis. Factors such as tumor size, distance to cranial base, and relation to neurovascular structures must guide the selection of a surgical approach.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To summarize experience in diagnosis and surgical management of parapharyngeal tumors, analyzing the frequencies of various tumoral types, clinical presentation, choice of surgical approach and outcomes. This study also compares the results with the most relevant case series in the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review was performed of the records of 51 patients treated by the team, from 1984-2012. Only primary tumors were included, excluding invasion from adjacent spaces and metastatic disease. All patients underwent imaging studies and surgical resection of the neoplasm. Cytological analysis and arteriography were used on an individualized basis. Surgical excision was performed via different approaches, predominantly through a cervicoparotid route.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Benign neoplasms were predominant (80%), and the most frequent tumor was pleomorphic adenoma. FNAC had a 100% accuracy to differentiate benign vs malignant tumors. The most common post-operative sequel was compromise of a cranial nerve, and three patients presented local complications after surgery. After follow-up, only three of 41 patients with benign tumors had recurring disease.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery , Hospital Clínico San Carlos , Madrid , Spain.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Iglesias-Moreno
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery , Hospital Clínico San Carlos , Madrid , Spain.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: López-Salcedo
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery , Hospital Clínico San Carlos , Madrid , Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gómez-Serrano
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery , Hospital Clínico San Carlos , Madrid , Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gimeno-Hernández
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery , Hospital Clínico San Carlos , Madrid , Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Poch-Broto
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Parapharyngeal space; head and neck neoplasm; parapharyngeal tumor; pleomorphic adenoma; surgical approach