A CASE OF POST-OPERATIVE DYSPHAGIA IN A CHILD WITH RETROPHARYNGEAL SCHWANNOMA

• Published in: JIBI INKOKA TEMBO Vol. 65; no. 5; pp. 200 - 206
• Main Authors: Sakuma, Nobuyuki, Kessoku, Hisashi, Kuroda, Kento, Kojima, Hiromi, Shimura, Eiji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Society of Oto-rhino-laryngology Tokyo 15.10.2022; 耳鼻咽喉科展望会
• Subjects: children; dysphagia; pharyngeal plexus; retropharyngeal tumor; schwannoma; 咽頭後間隙腫瘍; 咽頭神経叢; 嚥下障害; 小児; 神経鞘腫
• ISSN: 0386-9687; 1883-6429
• DOI: 10.11453/orltokyo.65.5_200

The patient was a 14-year-old child who complained suddenly of pain of the left ear and underwent a check-up at the general hospital. The doctor found swelling of the left peri-tonsillar area and CT examination showed a retropharyngeal tumor. He was subsequently referred to our hospital for further examination.Cervical enhanced CT and MRI showed a 38mm round tumor in the retropharyngeal space. We consulted with radiologists, pediatricians and plastic surgeons about the diagnosis and treatment. We decided to perform surgery via a trans-cervical approach, considering the potential for malignant tumors, such as rhabdomyosarcoma and synovial sarcoma. The pathological diagnosis was schwannoma.Severe dysphagia due to glossopharyngeal nerve palsy and vagus nerve palsy occurred post-operatively, but recovered with rehabilitation.Schwannoma is often seen as a cause for cervical tumor, but cases of retropharyngeal schwannoma in children are extremely rare.