title: Parapharyngeal space tumours: video-assisted minimally invasive transcervical approach.
abstract: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the advantages of a video-assisted, minimally invasive transcervical approach to benign and malignant parapharyngeal space (PPS) tumours. Ten patients affected by benign and malignant PPS neoplasms underwent a combined transcervical and video-assisted minimally invasive approach, using Hopkins telescopes. We describe the operative technique and perform a review of the literature. Definitive histology revealed 3 pleomorphic adenomas, 2 schwannomas, 2 metastatic papillary thyroid carcinomas, one carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma, one cavernous haemangioma and one basal cell adenoma. Mean tumour size was 37.2 mm (range: 19-60). Operation time ranged from 75 min to 185 min (mean: 146.7). One case was converted to transcervical-transparotid approach. Patients were discharged on postoperative day 2-5. One patients presented hypoglossal nerve paresis. The minimally invasive video-assisted transcervical approach is safe and feasible for selected benign and malignant PPS tumours. Furthermore, it offers harmless dissection in a deep and narrow space, accurate haemostasis and continuous control of critical anatomic structures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pilolli
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bussi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D010610:Pharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D020535:Video-Assisted Surgery / Q000379:methods
keywords: Endoscopic; Papillary thyroid cancer; Parapharyngeal space tumour; Pleomorphic adenoma; Video-assisted