Management of a rare case of parapharyngeal lipoma presentation of case

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Parapharyngeal masses are rare but critical because of their deep location and their important anatomical relationships with the surrounding structures. Their management poses a challenge in terms of etiological diagnosis and adequate therapeutic approach. The clinical and especially the radiological examination have an important role not only for the diagnosis but also for the determination of the appropriate management and for the orientation towards the nature of the mass. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 44-year-old man with a parapharyngeal lipoma that caused mainly obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Once in our structure after a radiological examination (MRI and CT scan), a decision for surgical management was made. Surgery consisted on a combined cervical and endobuccal approach. The follow-up showed an effective result with the total resolution of the discomfort caused by the mass, which improved the patient's quality of life. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: Tumors in this space represent less than 1 % of all head and neck tumors and are usually benign. Symptoms leading the patient to consult a doctor only appear after a significant volume of the mass, which makes the severity of this pathology. Imaging, namely CT and MRI, should be requested systematically in case of suspicion of any parapharyngeal mass. Several surgical approaches are described in the literature, the choice between them depends on the nature of the mass, its location and especially its extension, hence the interest of preoperative imaging. CONCLUSION: The main take-away lessons are the great value of imaging in the diagnosis and treatment of parapharyngeal space masses, the relationships of this region and its content make the surgery very delicate, so it's so important to choose the appropriate surgical approach.