Authors: Matteo AlicandriCiufelli Daniele Marchioni Francesco Mattioli Margherita Trani Livio Presutti
Publish Date: 2008/12/19
Volume: 266, Issue: 4, Pages: 475-479
Abstract
Management of intraparotid facial nerve schwannomas IFNS is very challenging because the diagnosis is often made intraoperatively and in most cases resection could lead to severe facial nerve FN paralysis with important aesthetic consequences Articles in the English language focused on the management of FN schwannoma have been selected and critically reviewed A decisionmaking algorithm is proposed In the case of type A or B neoplasms or in case of a preoperative FN House–Brackmann HB grade IV or worse the authors would favor a resection of the IFNS and where necessary a reconstruction of the nerve In the case of preoperative HB grade III or better and type C or D neoplasms patients would undergo an intraoperative biopsy to rule out malignancy and a possible conservative management could be adopted Localization and adherences of IFNS as well as preoperative FN function are important factors that must be considered in the decisionmaking process for IFNS to optimize the functional outcomes
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