Palatal Schwannoma: An Analysis of 45 Literature Reports and of an Illustrative Case

Schwannoma of the Soft Palate: A Rare Case Report

Oral schwannomas are rare, with only 18 cases of soft palate involvement reported since 1985. We report a case of a 15-year-old male with a soft palate schwannoma who was successfully treated by surgical excision and had no complications over a one-year follow-up. Histologically, schwannomas exhibit Antoni A and B patterns.

Uncommon Finding of a Soft Palate Schwannoma: A Case Report

Schwannomas are relatively slow-growing benign tumors of the nerve sheath. Approximately 25-40% of schwannomas occur in the head and neck region. However, schwannomas that present in the oral cavity are relatively rare, constituting around 1% of all described cases in the head and neck region. We report a case of a 20-year-old female who was found to have an intraoral palatal schwannoma. The patient presented with a painless swelling located on the right side of the soft palate. Investigations and management were commenced, and a computed tomography (CT) scan with contrast was done, which revealed cystic changes in a large soft palate mass lesion with a heterogeneous enhancement. The mass was surgically excised and sent for histopathological examination. The diagnosis of schwannoma was made due to the presence of the characteristic Antoni A and Antoni B areas. The immunohistochemical study done was positive for protein S-100. The postoperative follow-up went uneventful.

A Rare Case of Pediatric Oropharyngeal Schwannoma

This is a case of a male child who presented with a progressively enlarging oropharyngeal mass, hyponasal voice, and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea. Computed tomography imaging of the head and neck revealed a well-circumscribed low-density area of polypoid morphology arising from the left lateral pharyngeal wall, filling most of the posterior oropharynx and extending to a pedicle at the lateral nasopharynx. Histopathological evaluation following surgical excision revealed Antoni A tissue and S100 immunoreactivity. The presentation and diagnosis of benign schwannoma neoplasms are discussed.

Auricle Schwannoma: Presentation of a Rare Case and Review of Existing Literature

Schwannomas are extremely rare over auricle. Despite the extensive somatogenic neural innervations of the pinna, schwannomas are never amongst the differentials for a benign auricular mass. Previously published articles have all agreed on the rarity of this lesion occurring over the auricle. However, none of the articles have tackled and extensively reviewed the auricle schwannomas (AS) as an individual entity. The article aim to review previously published cases of AS along with an illustrative case, and provide a better insight regarding demographic, clinicopathological and immunohistochemical features of this neural tumor in a rare site. A systemic review of English literature was performed after using a sensitive search strategy involving three different databases (PubMed, Google Scholar and Embase). A total of nine cases were included. They mostly presented in young adults as a slow growing tumor (mean duration: 3.17 years) and showed a slightly higher male predominance (male/female ratio 1.25:1). They were mostly located over lateral surface (66.67%) with a predilection for left ear (77.78%). Conventional histological variant has only been reported. Complete surgical excision was performed for all the cases without any reports of recurrence or malignant transformation. AS present as a solitary, painless, firm and well-encapsulated lesion, mostly over the lateral auricle surface. Preoperative clinical diagnosis is difficult and radiological investigations do not hold much importance. FNAC is inconclusive and diagnosis mandates histopathologic examination. The nerve of tumor origin is difficult to precisely identify. Complete surgical excision is the treatment of choice. Post-operative prognosis is excellent.

Schwannoma originating in the soft palate: A case report

Introduction and importance

Schwannomas are relatively uncommon, benign, slow-growing neoplasms, which are derived from schwann cells that can arise from any cranial, peripheral, or autonomic nerves. The involvement of the palate is a rare presentation and hardly reported in the literature.

Case presentation

Here, we report the case of a 39-year-old woman with a history of a foreign body sensation in the throat and difficult swallowing.

Clinical findings and investigations

Oral examination showed a smooth, non-tender, right-sided, soft palate mass. Computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a well-defined, non-enhancing, homogenous pedunculated soft tissue mass arising from the posterior edge of the right side of the soft palate.

Interventions and outcome

The mass was excised completely under local anesthesia in the clinical setting using a CO₂ surgical laser. The mass was sent for histologic analysis, which confirmed the diagnosis of a benign schwannoma.

Conclusion

Eventually, upon follow-up at six months post excision, no evidence of recurrence was detected.

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A 39-year-old woman presented with a two-month history of right sided soft palate mass causing difficult swallowing.

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The mass was completely excised in a clinical setting under local anesthesia using a CO2 surgical laser.

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Histopathologic analysis confirmed the diagnosis of a benign soft palate Schwannoma.

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After six months post excision, no evidence of recurrence was detected.

Soft palate resection and secondary healing not to impair the velopharyngeal function? - Diagnosis and treatment of an intraoral schwannoma: A case report

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Schwannomas are benign nerve sheath tumors and mostly occur (25–45%) in the head and neck.

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1–12% of schwannomas affect the intraoral area, most frequently the tongue or mouth floor followed by palate, gingiva, vestibule and lips.

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The cure requires full surgical excision with clear margins to prevent a recurrence and malignant transformation, which is considered rare.

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Resection of soft palate tumors can make reconstruction necessary to obtain velopharyngeal function.

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To strive full regeneration and function of the velopharyngeal apparatus, in mucosal and even muscle defects of the soft palate, secondary healing can be the option of choice.

Introduction

Schwannomas are benign lesions arising from the nerve sheath, commonly located in the head and neck. Intraoral schwannomas mostly occur in tongue and lips and are rarely located in the soft palate.

Presentation of case

We describe the diagnostic assessment and treatment of 18-year old male presenting with an intraoral mass on the soft palate.

Discussion

The treatment of choice in peripheral nerve sheath tumors is conservative resection and due to location and impairment, reconstruction. Secondary healing of soft palate defects is rarely described in the literature.

Conclusion

With this case report, we demonstrate the feasibility of secondary healing after resection of a 3,0 × 1,9 × 2,1 cm schwannoma in the soft palate, resulting in no postoperative impairments, especially due to velopharyngeal function in a follow-up period of 2 months.