Objective: The aim of this study was to retrospectively analyze the clinical and demographic characteristics, presenting symptoms, postoperative complications, nerve of origin, and location of schwannomas in patients operated for extracranial head and neck schwannomas. Material and Methods: Patients who underwent surgery for extracranial nonvestibular head and neck schwannomas between January 2008-August 2024 at the Gazi University Department of Ear Nose and Throat were included in the study. Clinical and demographic characteristics, presenting symptoms, tumor location and size, preoperative imaging and biopsy results, nerve of origin of the schwannoma, types of surgical procedures, postoperative complications, and follow-up findings were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The study included 45 patients. 14 (31.1%) of the patients were male and 31 (68.8%) were female, and the mean age was 39.08 years (9-82 years). The most common localization was the parapharyngeal region in 12 patients (26.6%). In 31 patients (68.9%), the nerve of origin could be identified before or during surgery. The nerve of origin was the vagus nerve in 11 patients (24.4%), facial nerve in 9 patients (20.4%), brachial plexus in 4 patients (8.8%), sympathetic trunk in 3 patients (6.6%), and cervical plexus in 2 patients (4.4%). Of the 40 patients in whom the tumor was excised, 17 (42.5%) had postoperative neurological deficit in the nerve of origin after surgery. Conclusion: Schwannomas are usually asymptomatic and slow-growing tumors but may lead to significant morbidity. Although surgery is the definitive treatment, there are different treatment options available considering asymptomatic patients. Patients should be informed that neurological deficits may occur after surgery.

Amaç: Bu çalışmada, ekstrakraniyal baş boyun schwannomu nedeniyle opere edilen hastaların klinik ve demografik özellikleri, başvuru semptomları, operasyon sonrası komplikasyonları, schwannomun köken aldığı sinir ve yerleşim yerlerinin geriye dönük olarak analiz edilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Gazi Üniversitesi Kulak Burun Boğaz Ana bilim Dalı’nda Ocak 2008-Ağustos 2024 yılları arasında ekstrakraniyal nonvestibüler baş ve boyun schwannomu nedeniyle opere edilen hastalar çalışmaya dâhil edildi. Hastaların klinik ve demografik özellikleri, başvuru semptomları, tümör lokasyon ve boyutları, operasyon öncesi görüntüleme ve biyopsi sonuçları, schwannomun köken aldığı sinir, cerrahi prosedür tipleri, postoperatif komplikasyonlar ve takip bulguları retrospektif olarak analiz edildi. Bulgular: Çalışmaya 45 hasta dâhil edildi. Hastaların 14’ü (%31,1) erkek, 31’i (%68,8) kadın olup ortalama yaş 39,08 (9-82 yaş) olarak saptandı. En sık yerleşim yeri olarak 12 hastada (%26,6) parafarengeal bölge tespit edildi. 31 hastada (%68,8) tümörün köken aldığı sinir cerrahi öncesinde veya operasyon sırasında belirlenebildi. Kitlenin kaynaklandığı sinir 11 hastada (%24,4) 10. kraniyal sinir, 9 hastada (%20,4) 7. kraniyal sinir, 4 hastada (%8,8) brakial pleksus, 3 hastada (%6,6) servikal sempatik zincir, 2 hastada (%4,4) hastada servikal pleksus kökenli olarak izlendi. Tümörün eksize edildiği 40 hastanın 17’sinde (%42,5) cerrahi sonrası ilgili sinirde nörolojik defisit saptandı. Sonuç: Schwannomların çoğunlukla asemptomatik ve yavaş büyüyen tümörler olmalarına rağmen önemli morbiditelere sebep olabilirler. Cerrahi kesin tedavi olmakla birlikte asemptomatik hastalar da göz önünde bulundurulduğunda farklı tedavi seçenekleri bulunmaktadır. Cerrahi sonrası nörolojik defisitlerin gelişebileceği hastayla paylaşılmalıdır.

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