TRANSPALATINE EXCISION OF A CAVERNOUS HEMANGIOMA OF THE INFRATEMPORALFOSSA

Hemangiomas of the head and neck region can represent a therapeutic ch allenge depending on their size, location and symptoms. We report a ca se of a 40-year-old woman who presented with a 2-cm encapsulated caver nous hemangioma in the infratemporal fossa (ITF), Extensive workup inc luded CT, MRI and angiography. A transoral/transpalatine approach avoi ding osteotomy was used for surgical excision. After an unremarkable p ostoperative course the patient has remained disease-free after a 2-ye ar follow-up period. We suggest this surgical approach as an alternati ve in carefully selected cases of circumscribed small, benign lesions of the ITF.