Objectives: This study aims to evaluate patients operated due to extracranial head and neck schwannomas.
Patients and Methods:A total of 14 patients (6 males, 8 females; mean age 42.6 years; range 7 to 73 years) who were treated for extracranial head and neck schwannomas between January 1995 and December 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic data, tumor location, surgery, and clinical characteristics of the patients were discussed in light of the literature.Results: All patients were evaluated radiologically and with fine needle aspiration biopsy preoperatively. Total removal of the tumor was achieved in all patients. All tumors had benign character. Mean follow-up period was 14 months. Recurrence or malignancy was not detected in any patient.Conclusion: Schwannomas may present in a variety of sites in the head and neck region, and cause usually non-specific symptoms. Therefore, the preoperative diagnosis requires a clinical suspicion. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging is a useful and simple method for diagnosis. Sonuç: Schwannomlar baş boyun bölgesinde farklı alanlarda ortaya çıkabilir ve genellikle non-spesifik semptomlara yol açar. Bu nedenle, tanı için klinik şüpheye ihtiyaç vardır. Ameliyat öncesi manyetik rezonans görüntüleme tanı için yararlı ve kolay bir yöntemdir.Anahtar Sözcükler: Baş boyun neoplazmları; sinir kılıfı neoplazmları; nörilemmom; Schwann hücreleri.