[Clinical retrospective analysis of 19 cases of intraparotid facial nerve schwannoma].

PURPOSE: With literatures review, this retrospective study was aimed to analyze the clinic characteristics and treatment of intraparotid facial nerve schwannoma (IFNS) treated in our department.

METHODS

All cases treated in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and diagnosed as IFNS pathologically, from 2000-2007, were reviewed. The data of clinical symptoms, preoperative radio graphic imagings, preoperative diagnosis, tumor size and treatment method were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

Totally, 19 cases of IFNS were collected and reviewed. 3 of 19 (15.8%) were diagnosed as IFNS preoperatively, 2 cases were diagnosed by fine needle aspiration pathology, and 1 by physical examination. IFNS could occurred in any part of the facial nerve, 8 of 19 cases (43.1%) originated from the trunk of facial nerve in our cases. Nerve-sparing was applied in 12 cases, and the facial nerve was sectioned and anastomosed in 2 of these 12 cases; tumor resection with involved facial nerve were applied in 6 cases, and 5 of these 6 cases with facial nerve defect after tumor removal were repaired by auricular nerve transplantation, 1 case with nerve defect was not repaired; partial resection of the tumor was applied in 1 of the 19 cases. There was no tumor relapse in all 19 cases after 15-79 months of follow-up, while the function of the tumor-involved facial nerve were disturbed in all cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative diagnosis of IFNS is difficult, and the diagnosis is based on preoperative fine needle aspiration or post operative pathology. Both nerve-sparing and nerve-resection approach can rarely keep the facial nerve function well after tumor removal.