title: Techniques for dissection of the facial nerve in benign parotid surgery: a cross specialty survey of oral and maxillofacial and ear nose and throat surgeons in the UK.
abstract: We investigated techniques of dissection of the facial nerve currently being used in parotid surgery for benign disease in oral and maxillofacial (OMF) and ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgery. A postal questionnaire was sent to 300 OMF and 300 ENT consultants and 49% were returned(171(57%) OMF and 123 (41%) ENT. The antegrade technique was used routinely by 209 surgeons (87%), the retrograde technique by 9 (4%), and both techniques combined by 21 surgeons (9%). The antegrade technique was used by 135 surgeons (56%) for revision parotidectomy, by 193 (81%) for limited superficial parotidectomy, by 173 (72%) for obese patients with large tumours and by 75 (31%) for injury to the facial nerve. The retrograde technique was used by 21 surgeons (9%) for revision parotidectomy, by 22 (9%) for limited superficial parotidectomy, by 15 (6%) for obese patients with large tumours and by 29 surgeons (12%) for injury to the facial nerve. A combination of techniques was chosen by 83 surgeons (35%) in revision parotidectomy, by 24 surgeons (10%) in limited superficial parotidectomy, by 51 surgeons (21%) in obese patients with large tumours and by (56%) surgeons 135 for injury to the facial nerve.
authors: Queen Margaret Hospital, Whitefield Road, Dunfermline, KY12 0SU Fife, UK. barry.oregan@faht.scot.nhs.uk
authors: Barry
authors: B
authors: O'Regan
authors: Girish
authors: G
authors: Bharadwaj
authors: Andrew
authors: A
authors: Elders
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004210:Dissection / Q000379:methods*; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000601:surgery*; D005155:Facial Nerve Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D020220:Facial Nerve Injuries / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D010036:Otolaryngology; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000601:surgery*; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation; D013515:Surgery, Oral; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom