Related Experiment Videos
Traumatic neuromas of the head and neck
E J Lee1, T C Calcaterra, L Zuckerbraun
1Department of General Surgery, UCLA School of Medicine 90095, USA.
Ear, Nose, & Throat Journal
|September 24, 1998
Summary
Traumatic neuromas are rare head and neck tumors. This case highlights a traumatic neuroma of the greater auricular nerve, diagnosed years after parotidectomy, emphasizing accurate diagnosis to avoid unnecessary procedures.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Surgical Pathology
Background:
- Traumatic neuromas in the head and neck are uncommon, often arising from nerve injury.
- Division of the greater auricular nerve during parotidectomy is a potential cause of these neuromas.
Observation:
- A 73-year-old woman developed a traumatic neuroma of the greater auricular nerve nine years post-superficial parotidectomy.
- A palpable mass near the surgical site was initially suspected to be tumor recurrence.
- Frey's syndrome, indicative of abnormal nerve regeneration, was part of the patient's history.
Findings:
- Surgical excision revealed a whitish tumor, pathologically confirmed as a traumatic neuroma.
- Fine-needle aspiration was not feasible due to patient pain.
Implications:
- Accurate diagnosis of head and neck neuromas is crucial to prevent misdiagnosis of tumor recurrence.
- Awareness of traumatic neuroma as a differential diagnosis can spare patients and surgeons unnecessary interventions.
- Reviewing surgical literature aids in understanding the evaluation and management of these rare nerve tumors.