[The surgical treatment of congenital preauricular fistula]

The present paper describes the newly developed classification of congenital parotid fistulas that distinguishes between 4 forms of these entities depending on the shape and the size of the canal. A total of 61 patients at the age from 7 to 80 years presenting with congenital parotid fistulas were available for the observation during the period from 1985 to 2011. Twenty seven (44.2%) patients underwent surgery for the excision of congenital parotid fistulas under local anesthesia. A 7-year old child and a 17-year old girl were treated by the same method using intravenous calypsol narcosis. The patients having forms 1 and 2 of congenital parotid fistulas did not apply for medical aid. Forms 3 and 4 of this pathology manifest themselves in the early childhood; they are frequently associated with inflammation and recurrence as well as the development of abscesses. It was shown that only the complete removal of congenital parotid fistula prevents its inflammation and suppuration. The hereditary nature of congenital parotid fistula was documented in 23 (37.7%) of the patients included in the present study.