With a subjective and self-conscious mentality, Ms. G.T. L, 69 years old, H'Mong ethnicity, from Tuyen Quang, has lived with a tumor in the parotid area for many years without going to the doctor. Only when the tumor grew too large, causing pain and seriously affecting daily life, did she go to K Hospital for treatment.
Upon admission, doctors recorded that the patient had a large tumor in the right parotid gland, causing the angle of the jaw and right neck to be clearly deformed. Through examination and in-depth tests, the tumor was determined to be over 10cm in size.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results show that the lesion is heavily focused on polymorphous salivary gland tumors – a type of benign tumor common in parotid glands. However, if not treated promptly, the tumor can continue to grow, causing facial deformities and greatly affecting the quality of life.
After professional consultation, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Hau, Head of Quan Su 2 Surgery Department, and the team indicated surgical removal of the tumor, while preserving the VII nerve - the facial nerve that plays a role in controlling expressions such as laughter, speech, closing eyes and facial muscle movement.
Otitis media tumor surgery is one of the most difficult techniques in head and neck surgery. The biggest challenge is preserving the facial nerve because this nerve passes through the parotid gland and is divided into many small branches. With long-term, large-sized tumors, anatomical structures are often pushed off or attached to the tumor, making dissection complicated and posing a potential risk of postoperative facial paralysis," Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Hau said.
The surgery was successful. The tumor was completely removed, important nerve branches were preserved, helping the patient avoid severe complications and significantly improve the quality of life.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Hau said that most parotid gland tumors are benign, but patients are not allowed to be subjective because of that. Delaying examination causes tumors to grow larger and larger, causing facial deformities, affecting eating, communication and increasing the difficulty of surgery.
