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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]