Retropharyngeal Space Schwannoma: A Rare Entity

Retropharyngeal space schwannomas are rare entities. About 20-45% of schwannomas occur in the head and neck region; however, they represent less than 1% of all head and neck tumors.

We present the case of a 36-year-old woman complaining of dysphagia caused by a large schwannoma arising in the posterior pharyngeal wall with remarkable reduction of the oropharyngeal space. The tumor was resected through a combined transoral and cervicotomic transmandibular approach due to its dimension. No recurrence was observed after a two-year follow up. This case represents the thirteenth case reported in international literature.

Preoperative settings for rare tumors such as retropharyngeal schwannomas should include radiological investigations and preoperative biopsy. In order to obtain a successful result in terms of radicality, a combined surgical approach may be necessary to completely control the extension of the lesion.