OBJECTIVE To validate the hypothesis that fat tissue accumulation adjacent to the upper airway contributes to a predisposition to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), irrespective of body mass index (BMI), as well as investigate the effect of the volume of fat tissue on pharyngeal mechanical loads. METHODS Fourteen subjects and 14 controls were enrolled in this study. Pharyngeal anatomy (the fat t...

An elderly woman had an expanding cervical mass that entrapped and compressed the adjacent cranial nerves, blood vessels, and muscles. The mass was dense on radiographs, extended from the skull base to low neck in the prevertebral and parapharyngeal tissues, and showed mixed intensity on MR. A previous direct carotid arteriogram with thorium dioxide as the contrast agent suggested the histologi...

Tumors of the parapharyngeal space account for 0.5% of head and neck neoplasms. The parapharyngeal space is actually a potential space located lateral to the upper pharvnx. This bilateral fat containing region extends from the skull base to the hyoid bone. The parapharyngeal space is further compartmentalized by thick fascial layers that direct tumor growth. Among the salivary gland neoplasms, ...

Schwannoma of the cervical sympathetic chain is an extremely rare nerve tumour. We report an unusual swelling in a 41-year-old female who presented with an asymptomatic solitary mass in the right parapharyngeal space. Clinical examination and computed tomography showed displaced carotid artery in an antero-medial direction. Surgical excision of the lesion was carried out and histological examin...

INTRODUCTION Extracranial aneurysm of the internal carotid artery is an exceptional finding. CASE REPORT An 89-year-old woman consulted for a peritonsillar mass. Physical examination revealed a parapharyngeal pulsatile mass in the oropharynx. Computed tomography (CT) provided the diagnosis of extracranial internal carotid artery aneurysm. Endovascular or surgical treatment were declined. Anti...

BACKGROUND Parapharyngeal liposarcoma is a very rare malignant tumor that often causes nonspecific clinical symptoms, such as progressive dysphagia, globus sensation and/or respiratory disturbances. The combination of radiological imaging techniques and histopathological analysis provides information for diagnosis; however, the pathogenesis is still uncertain. CASE PRESENTATION A 30-year-old ...

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is the predominant tumor type arising in the nasopharynx with cervical lymph nodes present in 60-90% of all cases at the time of presentation. The most frequent pathological varieties include squamous cell carcinoma well-differentiated keratinizing, moderately differentiated non-keratinizing and an undifferentiated type. We present a case of non-keratinizing undifferent...

A 66-year-old man presented with difficulty in breathing and swallowing caused by swelling in his throat. He was aware of this swelling for the last three years but he had avoided referring to a hospital until he started to have serious apnea attacks. Physical examination revealed a large mass in the oropharynx bulging submucosally from the right lateral pharyngeal wall that nearly occluded the...

We report on a patient who was referred to the ENT service following an incidental finding on an MRI scan of the brain. It revealed a mass in the right parapharyngeal space, and additional imaging confirmed the presence of a solid cystic expansive mass with moderate enhancement following contrast media injection. The patient was treated with a total parotidectomy followed by radiotherapy. Curre...

We report a large sebaceous adenoma of the parotid gland. CT showed soft-tissue mass in the lateral portion of the adenoma corresponding to the histologic finding of proliferation of sebaceous glands and fibrous stromal tissue. There were numerous fatty cysts (-65Hu). Some of the cystic component ruptured, and CT demonstrated leaking of fatty material into the parapharyngeal space.