Rare Case of a Schwannoma of the Posterior Pharyngeal Wall in a Child

Ear Nose Throat J. 2023 Dec;102(12):759-761. doi: 10.1177/01455613211031027. Epub 2021 Jul 19.

Abstract

We present a rare case of a schwannoma which is localized on the posterior pharyngeal wall. It caused severe difficulty in swallowing and breathing in a 3-year-old child. Schwannomas of the posterior pharyngeal wall have been rarely reported in children. To our knowledge, only 7 cases of posterior pharyngeal wall schwannoma have been previously reported in the literature, but none of them is associated with a child. The tumor was removed with plasma radiofrequency excision via a transoral route. Computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging examination showed no recurrence of the tumor up to 2 years. To our knowledge, for the first time, a case of posterior pharyngeal wall schwannoma has been reported in a 3-year-old child, and the schwannoma was removed via plasma radiofrequency transoral excision. This case study illustrates that schwannoma may occur in children, and it is safe to treat this disease through plasma radiofrequency transoral excision route.

Keywords: dyspnea; plasma radiofrequency transoral excision; posterior pharyngeal wall; schwannoma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Child, Preschool
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Neurilemmoma* / complications
  • Neurilemmoma* / diagnostic imaging
  • Neurilemmoma* / surgery
  • Pharyngeal Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Pharynx / pathology