Facial nerve morbidity following parotid surgery

Abstract EN

Standard surgical management for tumors of the parotid gland requires superficial, subtotal, or total parotidectomy with preservation of the facial nerve.

Although this approach is effective in minimizing recurrence, the resultant facial nerve morbidity is seldom addressed.

Twenty three consecutive patients who underwent parotid surgery for benign or malignant neoclassic at Babb El-Shieria university hospital are reviewed, with attention to postoperative facial nerve function.

Transient dysfunction was frequently encountered in superficial and total parotidectomy (33.3 %, 40 % respectively) with total incidence of 34.8 %.

But permanent dysfunction was uncommon in superficial parotidectomy group (5.5 %), although it was higher in total parotidectomy group (20 %).

The incidence of long-term dysfunction was higher in recurrent cases and when total parotidectomy was performed also when malignant tumors were encountered.