Introduction: Parapharyngeal space tumors are very rare comprising 0,5% of
head and neck tumors. Tumors of this region are significant diagnostic
problem due to scanty symptomatology as well as considerable surgical issue
owing to inaccessibility. Patients and Methods: Retrospective twenty-year
study of patients with parapharyngeal space tumors included 69 patients. Data
were obtained from medical records, and were pointed to diagnostic
procedures, surgical approach and pathohistological findings. Symptoms and
clinical signs were also investigated. Results: Preoperative diagnostics is
very important for precise tumor localization and relation to adjacent
structures. Computerized tomography was the most common method used, and
recently, magnetic resonance imaging and indication-based contrast
angiography have been applied. All of 69 patients with parapharyngeal space
tumors were treated surgically. The most often approach to this tumor was
transcervical (62%), then transoral approach and combination transcervical
transoral approach. Pathohistological examination verified that most of the
tumors were benign (75%) and origin of these tumors was most frequently
salivary (42%). Conclusion: For making a decision on surgical approach,
diagnostic methods, other than thorough examination, such as computerized
tomography(CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MR), are necessary to be
applied.