title: A survey of facial nerve dissection techniques in benign parotid surgery among maxillofacial and ear, nose, and throat surgeons in Nigeria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study is to identify the facial nerve dissection technique routinely used during parotidectomy for benign parotid tumors by Nigerian Oral and Maxillofacial (OMF) and Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) Surgeons.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire-based study was conducted among Oral and Maxillofacial and Ear, Nose, and Throat Surgeons in Nigeria, on their experience with antegrade and retrograde facial nerve dissection techniques in parotid surgery. The respondents were asked to indicate their choice of dissection techniques in revision parotidectomy, limited superficial parotidectomy, and in obese patients with large tumors. They were also asked to indicate if they routinely used perioperative facial nerve monitoring devices in parotid surgery for benign tumors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  About half (47.5%) of them routinely used the antegrade technique, while only a few (12.5%) used the retrograde technique. A large number of them (40%), however, used a combination of antegrade and retrograde routinely. Technical ease was the main reason for the choice of technique. The antegrade technique was the technique of choice by most respondents for revision parotidectomy (60%) and limited superficial parotidectomy (62%). However, the retrograde approach was the technique of choice by most of them (47%) in case of parotidectomy in obese patients with large tumors. The routine use of perioperative facial nerve monitoring devices is an uncommon practice among OMF and ENT surgeons in Nigeria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The antegrade approach for facial nerve dissection is the most common technique used in parotid surgery by Nigerian OMF and ENT surgeons. Nigerian surgeons need to consider the retrograde approach in selected cases of parotid surgery especially for localized tumors that are amenable to limited superficial parotidectomy. Inclusion of perioperative facial nerve monitoring devices is also advocated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Lagos, Nigeria. lanreadeyemo@yahoo.com
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Adeyemo
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Taiwo
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Somefun
authors.forename: H O
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Olasoji
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Ndukwe
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Fashina
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Alabi
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; D009549:Nigeria; D010036:Otolaryngology; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D010820:Physicians; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires