Resection of nasopharyngeal mucoepidermoid carcinoma using the maxillary swing approach

Abstract

Mucoepidermoid carcinomas (MECs) are a common neoplasm of the minor salivary glands. However, nasopharyngeal MECs are an extremely rare entity. We describe herein our experience in the resection of a nasopharyngeal MEC using the maxillary swing approach (MSA). A 42-year-old man was referred to our institute complaining of a feeling of fullness in his left ear. The tumor was found to localized in the nasopharynx. The ragiological findings showed a solid, 30 × 27 × 26mm tumor lying on the lateral wall of the nasopharynx. The histological examination revealed MEC. The tumor was removed with maxillary swing approach. The patient has remained free from recurrence for 2 years and 7 months after surgery. There are many reports to recommend surgery-based treatment for MECs of the head and neck region. It is moreover thought that nasopharyngeal MECs are no exception. To our knowledge, only 7 cases of MEC of the nasopharynx have been reported in Japan. From our experience, the MSA is one of the useful approaches to achieve minimum facial deformity and maxillary dysfunction. We discuss the etiology with a review of the literature.