title: [Management of the surgical pathology of the parotid gland: A review of 54 cases].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The management of the surgical pathology of the parotid gland and its results are relatively uniform. However, both in the diagnostic and the therapeutic aspects, there are some controversial issues which we discuss from the point of view of recent experience at our department.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive and retrospective study was conducted on patients who underwent parotidectomy for any indication between July 2004 and June 2009 (5 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty four parotidectomies were performed in 52 patients. CT was the most commonly used preoperative diagnostic imaging study. The accuracy of FNAB was 93.3%. 76% were benign processes; among them 7.3% with inflammatory causes. All of the surgical procedures from April 2005 onwards were performed with electrophysiological monitoring of the facial nerve. Superficial parotidectomy was performed in 75.6% of benign cases. The incidence of transient facial paresis in benign pathologies was of 14.6% (all of them of grades II and III). Two cases (both with total parotidectomy) had permanent facial mobility sequelae. The rhytidectomy incision was used preferentially in young women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The controversial issues identified, due either to discrepancies or lack of enough evidence, were: the diagnostic role of MRI, the validity and usefulness of FNAB, the indications of surgical treatment, the need for facial nerve monitoring and the consideration of cosmetic aspects, in particular the indications of rhytidectomy incision.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Complejo Asistencial de Avila, Avila, España. jgranelln@seorl.net
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Granell
authors.forename: Juan L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Jara
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gavilanes
authors.forename: María J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Velasco
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Collazo
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Herrero
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martín
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010305:Parotid Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies