Surgical approach to parotid pleomorphic adenoma: a 15-year retrospective cohort study

Our aim was to investigate the clinical outcomes (recurrences, duration of follow-up, and effectiveness) after extracapsular dissection and superficial parotidectomy for pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid gland. We retrospectively studied 261 patients whose adenomas were treated at the Maxillofacial Unit of Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro between January 2003 and December 2015 and had been followed up for at least three years after either extracapsular dissection or superficial parotidectomy. The difference in recurrences and complications between the two techniques were measured by univariate analysis (Fisher's exact test). The level of significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. Of the 261 patients 125 were male (48%) and 136 female (52%), mean (range) age 47 (14-78) years. A total of 210 of the 261 patients had an extracapsular dissection (80%, 101 male and 109 female), and 51 had a superficial parotidectomy (24 male and 27 female). Postoperative complications were recorded in 48 of the 261 patients; complication rate was 10% in the extracapsular dissection group, and a third after superficial parotidectomy. There were more complications in the parotidectomy group (p=0.042). For pleomorphic adenomas located in the superficial portion of the parotid gland, extracapsular dissection is a viable alternative to traditional superficial parotidectomy in the hands of experienced parotid surgeons with regard to clinical outcomes, and it may be superior with regard to cost.