A comparison between endoscope-assisted partial parotidectomy and conventional partial parotidectomy

Area of Science:

• Surgical Oncology
• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Head and Neck Surgery

Background:

• Parotidectomy is a surgical procedure to remove all or part of the parotid gland.
• Conventional parotidectomy often involves larger incisions, potentially leading to visible scarring and complications.
• Advancements in endoscopic technology offer potential for less invasive surgical approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility of endoscope-assisted parotidectomy.
• To compare the outcomes of endoscope-assisted parotidectomy with conventional parotidectomy.
• To assess the safety and efficacy of using an ultrasonic scalpel in this procedure.

Main Methods:

• A randomized clinical trial involving 38 patients undergoing partial parotidectomy.
• Patients were assigned to either conventional (20 patients) or endoscope-assisted (18 patients) surgery.
• Endoscopic instruments were inserted via two small incisions (retromandibular and postauricular) using a retrograde approach.

Main Results:

• Endoscopic surgery had a mean duration of 108.61 minutes with significantly lower bleeding volume compared to the conventional group.
• All 18 patients in the endoscopic group reported satisfaction with cosmetic results.
• One patient experienced temporary facial paresis and salivary fistula; no tumor recurrence was observed in either group during follow-up (26-40 months).

Conclusions:

• Endoscope-assisted parotidectomy is a feasible and effective surgical technique.
• This approach offers a viable alternative for parotid gland surgery, enabling smaller incisions.
• The procedure demonstrates good cosmetic results and comparable oncologic safety to conventional methods.