title: Extracranial head and neck neurogenic tumors: report of 47 cases.
abstract: Extracranial head and neck neurogenic tumors are rare and usually revealed by histological examination. The aim of this study was to review the clinical, radiological and therapeutic particularities of these tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study concerns 47 patients with neurogenic tumors of the head and neck, operated on between 1989 and 2011 (22 years period). All patients had complete physical examination and ultrasonography was performed when a cervical extension was found. CT scan and MRI were performed in 16 cases. Minimum follow up was 4 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A sinusonasal tumor was found in 9 cases and a cervical mass was seen in 28 cases. Parapharyngeal extension was observed in two cases. Two patients had tympano-jugular glomic tumors and 8 of them had a cervical soft tissue tumor. Complete surgical resection was performed in 46 patients. Histological examination revealed a benign tumor in 91% of cases (n=43), 24 of them were schwannomas. Malignant tumors were seen in 4 cases: esthesioneuroblastoma (3 cases) and malignant schwannoma (1 case). These patients received post operative radiotherapy. After surgery, two patients had Claude Bernard Horner syndrome and one had a definitive facial nerve palsy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Extracranial head and neck neurogenic tumors may have several aspects depending on their localisation and their histological type. Surgery, when performed, should be complete with minimum complications.
authors.forename: Olfa
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ben Gamra
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Romdhane
authors.forename: Khaled
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Khamassi
authors.forename: Inès
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nacef
authors.forename: Wafa
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Abid
authors.forename: Chiraz
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chammakhi
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hariga
authors.forename: Chiraz
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mbarek
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009380:Neoplasms, Nerve Tissue / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult