title: [Facial nerve monitoring in the parotidectomy].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Facial palsy (FP) is a feared complication of parotidectomy. Facial nerve monitoring (FNM) has been poorly evaluated since it was created at the beginning of the 90's. The authors described a retrospective series and discussed it reviewing the literature data.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 2002 to January 2009, 75 parotidectomies were performed in 72 patients (34 males, 38 females), without FNM in 28 cases (group 1) and with FNM in 47 cases (group 2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In group 1, 9 FP were noted, 5 were transient and 4 were definitive. In group 2, 12 FP were noted, 9 were transient and 3 were definitive. Both one month and six months after parotidectomy, the FP rate was significatively higher in group 1 than in group 2 for the reoperations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Facial nerve monitoring is an adjunctive method available to a surgeon during parotid surgery to assist with the functional preservation of the facial nerve. It did not allow to improve the facial prognosis in benign tumours removal but it improved the facial prognosis in reoperations. Its interest should be tested for malignant tumour removal.
authors.affiliation: Hôpital du Val de Grâce, Service d'ORL et de Chirurgie Cervico-Faciale, 74, Boulevard de Port Royal, 75230 Paris cedex 05, France. pons.yoann@gmail.com
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pons
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Clément
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Crambert
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Conessa
mesh_terms: D005154:Facial Nerve; D020220:Facial Nerve Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000601:surgery*; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies