title: Study of preoperative predictive signs in management of facial nerve in parotid tumors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To find preoperative predictive signs for better surgical planning of the facial nerve in parotid tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study in patients with primary parotid malignancies. Patients with primary parotid malignant tumor were investigated for preoperative clinical signs in correlation with histological findings and surgical management of the facial nerve.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 47 patients. Several clinical findings as facial pain, paresthesia, and rapid growth of tumor might suggest the risk of malignancy. Paresis/palsy of the facial nerve was correlates with direct neural involvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are several predictive clinical signs that might suggest malignancy of a parotid tumor.
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Emergency County Hospital, Section of ENT, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chirila
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Emergency County Hospital, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Mihaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muresan
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Informatics and Biostatistic, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Sorana D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Bolboaca
keywords: facial; growth; pain; palsy; paresthesia; parotid malignancy