National Trends and Benchmarks for Operative Time and Hospital Length of Stay in Parotidectomies

The extent of parotidectomy for benign tumors has de-escalated in the United States. We aim to define modern benchmarks for operative time and hospital length of stay (LOS) in parotidectomy and identify risk factors that may prolong these benchmarks.

This is a retrospective cross-sectional study of all adults who underwent parotidectomy for a primary parotid neoplasm between January 2011 and December 2021 using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database.

The extent of parotidectomy was defined using Current Procedural Terminology codes. Prolonged operative time and LOS were defined as above the 75th percentile (longer than 194 minutes and more than 1 day, respectively). Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify patient and surgical risk factors that predict prolonged operative time or LOS.

Benign parotidectomies are mostly performed as outpatient procedures in the United States (average LOS <1 day). Prolonged operative time was independently associated with malignant tumors versus benign tumors (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.7, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.4-3.0), total parotidectomy with facial nerve sacrifice versus lesser extent of parotidectomy (aOR: 2.3, 95% CI: 1.7-3.0), and simultaneous reconstructive procedures versus none (P < .001 for all). These features were similarly independently associated with prolonged LOS (P < .001 for all). Complication rates were universally low.

The majority of superficial parotidectomies in this country are performed as outpatient procedures requiring <3 hours of operative time, with low complication rates. Malignant tumors, greater extent of parotidectomy, and simultaneous procedures were independently associated with prolonged operative time and LOS. These national benchmarks can inform operating room and hospital bed resource assignments.