Transoral Approach of the Parapharyngeal Tumors

Parapharyngeal space has the shape of a reversed pyramid with the base at the cranial surface delimited by temporal and sphenoid bone and and the top pointing to the large horn of the hyoid bone.[1] Styloid diaphragm divides the parapharyngeal space into two regions with different anatomy and constituents: prestyloid space, anterior, conta-ining the deep lobe of the parotid gland, internal maxillary artery, inferior alveolar nerve, lingual, auriculo-temporal, and retrostyloid space, posterior, neurovascular, that contains the internal carotid artery, internal jugular vein, cranial nerves glossopharyngeal, vagus, accessory, hypoglossal and cervical sympathetic chain. [2]
Tumors arising in parapharyngeal space are rare, representing less than 1% of all head and neck malignancies. Any of the structures contained in this space can be a starting point for developing a tumor masses at this level. Most of these tumors are benign, approximately 20% are malignant. [1] The most common tumors of the salivary gland tissue derived from space and are epithelial in nature. Others are likely neurogenic, vascular, lymphatic, etc. [3]