A rare case of recurrent congenital sialolipoma of parotid gland in a 3‑year‑old child: A case report and review of literature

INTRODUCTION: Sialolipoma is an extremely rare salivary gland tumor characterized by a well circumscribed mass composed of glandular tissue and matures adipose elements. Herein,the aim of this article is to report the sixth case of congenital sialolipoma and the first case of recurrent congenital sialolipoma in infant, and discuss the clinicopathological and morphological features of sialolipoma and the possible cause of its recurrence. CASE REPORT: A 3 year-old child presented with a recurrent mass of right parotid gland which progressed from birth, initially treated at the age of 4 months by simple tumorectomy and excision of the surrounding parotid tissue. The tumor recurred 4 months postoperatively. The radiological examination confirmed the parotid origin of the tumor. Histopathology was consistent with a sialolipoma. A superficial parotidectomy with preservation of the facial nerve was performed this time at the age of 3 years. Postoperative recovery proceeded without incident with normal facial nerve function. There was no recurrence at 36-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: Although it is a very rare benign tumor, congenital sialolipoma should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of congenital parotid mass. The recurrence of congenital sialolipoma is dependent on its management, thus complete excision of the mass with the lobes of the salivary glands involved seems to be adequate for definitive management.