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Parapharyngeal granular cell tumour: a unique surgical challenge

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 March 2006

R Persaud
Affiliation:
the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital, Gray’s Inn Road, London, UK.
S Tudge
Affiliation:
the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital, Gray’s Inn Road, London, UK.
K Amonoo-Kuofi
Affiliation:
the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital, Gray’s Inn Road, London, UK.
T Beale
Affiliation:
the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital, Gray’s Inn Road, London, UK.
P O’Flynn
Affiliation:
the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital, Gray’s Inn Road, London, UK.

Abstract

A granular cell tumour is a rare lesion of probable nerve sheath origin. It is typically benign but up to seven per cent may be malignant. Since its original description in the tongue in 1926, the tumour has been reported to occur at many other sites in the body. The authors report a case of a 49-year-old African woman with an oronaso-parapharyngeal granular cell neoplasm causing mild dysphagia. The location of this tumour, which has not been reported previously, posed a unique surgical challenge. An initial attempt to remove the lesion transorally was only partially successful because it was too tough and adherent for conventional surgical dissecting instruments. Complete resection, however, was achieved with a carbon dioxide laser via the same approach. This information may be helpful in the management of other similar cases in the future.

Type
Book Review
Copyright
© 2005 Royal Society of Medicine Press

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