Parapharyngeal space lipomatosis with secondary dyspnea, disphagia and disphonia

INTRODUCTION: Parapharyngeal space tumors are a small percentage of all head and neck neoplasms. Due to their anatomic location, they represent a therapeutic challenge. To our knowledge, 11 cases of parapharyngeal lipomatous tumors have been reported in the literature. CASE: A 48 year old male with chief complaints of dyspnea, dysphagia and dysphonia was found to have a parapharyngeal space tumor. He was scheduled to undergo lumpectomy and neck exploration. DISCUSSION: Benign tumors represented 70% of all cases. Open neck surgery is considered the gold-standard of treatment. CONCLUSION: It is important to bear in mind the lipomas of the parapharyngeal space to establish an accurate diagnosis and implement timely, appropriate treatment in order to avoid future complications and reduce morbidity and mortality.