Parapharyngeal space and infratemporal fossa are 2 overlapping spaces in head and neck which have complex anatomy with vital neurovascular structures passing through them. Tumors of this region are extremely rare but majority of them (80%) are benign. Benign tumors of this region can lead to swellings in facial region, neck and oropharynx. Dysphagia may be a complaint of the patient. Many of these tumors have malignant potential. Removal of these tumors requires a good understanding of the anatomy of this space so that correct surgical approach can be selected. The surgeon needs to be adept in using the most suitable surgical approach for excision of these tumors. There are various approaches which can be used to access these deeply seated tumors but the issue of prime importance is selecting the appropriate approach for the various tumors here based on their size and their exact location in this complex anatomical space. Inappropriate approach can lead to inadequate tumor excision and can lead to injuries to the neurovascular structures in this region which can cause significant disability. The case series reported here describes the various approaches to this region and highlights the importance of correct selection of the surgical approach.

Desmoid fibromatosis (DF) arising from musculoaponeurotic structures rarely affects the head and neck region with the abdomen being the most common site of origin. These are benign tumors with locally infiltrative nature usually presenting as painless swellings that are rapidly growing. The infratemporal fossa DF is an extremely rare location with few clinical reports. This article discusses the management of a 2-year-old child with DF of the infratemporal fossa (ITF) along with literature review.

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Parapharyngeal tumors are relatively rare tumors of head and neck. In general, pleomorphic adenoma is one of the most common benign tumor of the parapharyngeal region. Various approaches have been described in the literature for removal of parapharyngeal tumor with mandibulotomy generally carried out for large tumors. Here, we describe removal of a large parapharyngeal pleomorphic adenoma transcervically without mandibulotomy which subsequently turned out to be one of the largest ever reported in the literature and describe how large tumors of parapharyngeal can be removed with minimal invasive approach with mandibulotomy kept as a backup thereby avoiding complications associated with mandibulotomy.

BACKGROUND: The resection of large oropharyngeal tumors traditionally involves a lip-splitting mandibulotomy for adequate margin visualization and free flap reconstruction of the surgical defect. Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) has emerged as a technique that can resect large and complex oropharyngeal tumors, avoiding a lip-splitting approach. The aim of this study is to compare the lip-splitting mandibulotomy approach versus TORS for the management of advanced stage oropharyngeal carcinomas.
METHODS: Prospectively collected data from 18 patients with advanced stage oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) who received TORS with radial forearm free flap reconstruction (RFFF) was compared to a matched cohort of 39 patients who received a lip-splitting mandibulotomy and RFFF. Patients were matched for stage, p16 positivity, smoking, age and gender. Length of hospital stay (LOHS), tracheostomy decanulation time, operative time, surgical margin status, and post-operative complications were compared between groups.
RESULTS: Patients who received TORS with RFFF had a significantly lower mean LOHS, compared to patients who were treated by lip-splitting mandibulotomy and RFFF (14.4 vs 19.7 days, p = 0.03). No significant differences were seen between groups in terms of operative time, tracheostomy decannulation time, margin positivity and post-operative complications.
CONCLUSIONS: TORS with radial forearm free flap reconstruction is a safe, effective and cost-saving alternative to the lip-splitting mandibulotomy approach for the treatment of advanced stage OPSCC.