Surgical resection of the nasopharynx

Surgical resection of the nasopharynx has evolved over the years. Because of its central location, anatomic complexity, and proximity to vital structures of the head and neck, radical surgery in this region of the head and neck was once considered imprudent and fraught with major complications, including death to the patient. Because of significant advancements in the areas of skull-base surgery, lighting, and instrumentation, surgical resection of the nasopharynx is no longer considered as daunting a task for those surgeons with the prerequisite training and experience. In this presentation, the current literature is reviewed with respect to surgical resection of the nasopharynx, and the various techniques are elucidated for outcomes. There are several approaches to surgically resecting the nasopharynx. This article emphasizes the transpalatal/transmaxillary/transcervical approach, which has demonstrated reasonable outcomes with acceptable complication rates.