Parotitis and facial nerve dysfunction.
Paralysis of the facial nerve in association with suppurative parotitis is rare, with only ten previously reported cases. In some situations, inflammation surrounding a benign neoplasm accounted for the observed paralysis. In this article, three new cases of parotitis with associated facial nerve dysfunction are described, none of which was associated with a neoplasm. In one, an occult abscess was present and in another an aggressive necrotizing process was seen. The treatment of this disease should initially be conservative management with high doses of wide-spectrum antibiotics. In the majority of cases, resolution of the facial paralysis should follow. However, persistence of a parotid mass with continued facial palsy mandates surgical exploration to exclude the presence of an underlying neoplasm.
Andrews
J C
JC
Division of Head and Neck Surgery, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance 90509.
Abemayor
E
E
Alessi
D M
DM
Canalis
R F
RF
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005155:Facial Nerve Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010309:Parotitis / Q000150:complications*