ABSTRACT
The oropharynx is the second anatomical subsite of the upper aero-digestive tract and it extends from the anterior tonsillar pillar to the upper border of the epiglottis. Oropharyngeal neoplasms can be divided into those arising from the epithelial lining and those with a mesenchymal origin. The work-up for oropharyngeal masses is the same as other head and neck locations: biopsy from the primary tumour for the type of the tumour and radiology for the stage of the tumour. The benign mesenchymal and low-grade malignant tumours are managed by upfront surgery. Open surgical approaches require extensive dissection to reach the tumour boundaries, so the traditional approach for epithelial tumours is radiotherapy or chemo-radiotherapy irrespective of the stage of the tumour. Advancement in technology allows excellent mapping of the disease extent and peroral excision of the tumour. Minimal invasive surgery is a primary modality of treatment in benign, low-grade tumours and early-stage carcinomas. The prerequisites for minimally invasive surgery are adequate mouth opening, risk stratification for aspiration and anaesthetic cooperation. This chapter provides insight into the open surgical and minimally invasive procedures.
