HUGE PLEOMORPHIC ADENOMA OF THE UPPER RETROMOLAR AREA

The case of a 41-year-old female is described wherein a minor salivary gland pleomorphic adenoma originating in the right retromolar area ha d extended into the infratemporal fossa and enlarged to 5 x 6 x 12 cm. The patient first became conscious of the mass as a slight swelling o f the buccal mucosa when she was about 30 years of age, and the swelli ng since then bad gradually gained in prominence, Preoperative compute d tomography scan demonstrated a well-circumscribed mass occupying the right infratemporal fossa and medially displacing the ptery-gold lami nas. The mass was easily removed without much bleeding and no recurren ce has been detected for 4 years. The incidence of pleomorphic adenoma originating in the retromolar area, the size of minor salivary gland pleomorphic adenomas at the time of diagnosis, and the treatment of ch oice are discussed.