Contemporary diagnosis and management of Warthin's tumor

Determine if the pathophysiology of Warthin's tumor, clinical presentation, cytology, and frozen section analysis signal an opportunity for less invasive parotid surgery and reduced morbidity.

Retrospective review of 120 human parotidectomies identified 50 consecutive Warthin's tumors.

Single surgeon, single institutional study.

Surgeon performed ultrasound guided Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) and intra-operative frozen section with nerve integrity monitoring were used in all cases. Partial superficial parotidectomy was performed in the initial 25 patients and extracapsular dissection in the subsequent 25 patients. RESULTs: Smoking history was acknowledged in 45/50 (90 percent) of patients. The mean age was 63. Lower parotid pain and cellulitis occurred 23/50 (46 percent) and 11/50 (22 percent), respectively. Tumor in the lower parotid pole occurred in 48/50 (96 percent). Frozen section diagnosis for Warthin's tumor was confirmed by final pathology in all 50/50 (100 percent) patients. Two of 50 patients (8 percent) in the partial superficial parotidectomy group and no patient in the extracapsular dissection group had transient facial nerve dysfunction (p > 0.05).

Warthin's tumor presents with a high rate of symptomatic inflammation, overwhelmingly in the lower parotid pole. Cytology largely excludes malignancy. Frozen section analysis diagnosing Warthin's tumor is highly specific in predicting final diagnosis. Minimally invasive approaches can be performed with confidence with extracapsular dissection or partial superficial parotidectomy resulting in potentially reduced morbidity.