A case of primitive floor of the mouth paraganglioma in a child: an embryological theory unifying viscerocranium appended paragangliomas.

Abstract

Paragangliomas are unusual tumors in the head and neck originating from the paraganglia or glomus cells of neural crest origin. We describe the first case of a primitive paraganglioma of the floor of the mouth presenting in childhood. Complete surgical removal was performed after embolization of the left lingual artery. There was no evidence of either persistent or recurrent disease 5 years after surgery. The embryologic and anatomic origins of head and neck paragangliomas are reviewed. An embryologic theory based on the common neural crest origin and migration pathways of both autonomic viscerocranium appended ganglias and paragangliomas is proposed that unifies the topographically heterogeneous group of viscerocranium-appended paragangliomas.