Parotidectomy: Ten-Year Review of 237 Cases at a Single Institution

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To review a single surgeon's experience with parotidectomy with an emphasis on examining the appropriate use of partial superficial parotidectomy and the differences in early outcomes observed with the various types and extent of parotidectomy used. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: A series of 237 patients who underwent parotidectomy over a 10-year period was reviewed. RESULTS: Postoperative complications included facial nerve weakness (18%), sialocele (6.3%), wound infection (3.8%), hematoma (3.8%), and symptomatic Frey's syndrome (1.7%). More extensive surgical procedures, including complete superficial or total parotidectomy, were associated with a 2.7 times greater incidence of immediate postoperative facial nerve weakness compared with partial superficial parotidectomy. CONCLUSION: Partial superficial parotidectomy is associated with a decreased incidence of transient postoperative facial nerve weakness compared with more extensive procedures such as complete superficial or total parotidectomy. Intraoperative frozen section was an accurate means of selecting patients for the partial superficial parotidectomy procedure. SIGNIFICANCE: Partial superficial parotidectomy is an effective method for treating benign tumors confined to the superficial lobe.