Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is an infrequent epithelial tumor primarily affecting the minor salivary glands. It rarely affects the major salivary glands, especially the parotid gland. Isolated involvement of the deep lobe of the parotid, without affecting the superficial lobe, is even more uncommon. Deep lobe tumors typically present at a later stage due to their concealment on the medial aspect of the mandibular ramus. External swelling becomes evident only when the tumor reaches a considerable size. In the case of a slow-growing tumor, prolonged pressure effects can distort surrounding anatomical structures over time. This report describes a case of ACC involving the deep lobe of the parotid in a 35-year-old female, emphasizing the uniqueness of the case, including the elongation of the facial nerve trunk, and its implications for surgery, as the altered anatomy often leads to misleading established surgical landmarks.
Padhiary et al. (Thu,) studied this question.