Extracapsular Dissection Versus Superficial and Total Parotidectomy for Benign Parotid Tumours: A Retrospective...

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Surgical Oncology
• Head and Neck Surgery

Background:

• Benign parotid tumors are common, requiring surgical management.
• Conventional parotidectomy techniques (superficial and total) carry risks of complications.
• Extracapsular dissection (ECD) is a minimally invasive alternative.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the clinical outcomes of extracapsular dissection (ECD) with superficial parotidectomy (SP) and total parotidectomy (TP).
• To evaluate complication rates, surgical margins, and recovery metrics for benign parotid tumor management.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective, single-centre study of 55 patients treated between January 2015 and December 2022.
• Comparison of ECD (34 patients) versus SP (17 patients) and TP (4 patients).
• Analysis of pathology, complications, margins, and recovery; Freeman-Halton extension of Fisher's exact test used.

Main Results:

• ECD showed lower temporary facial nerve palsy rates (15%) versus SP (35%) and TP (75%).
• Higher seroma rates in ECD (18%), but no haematomas or recurrences across groups.
• Significantly higher same-day discharge rates for ECD (82%) compared to SP (6%) and TP (0%).

Conclusions:

• Extracapsular dissection provides oncological safety equivalent to conventional parotidectomy for benign tumors.
• ECD offers superior recovery metrics, including reduced facial nerve palsy and faster discharge.
• ECD is a viable and recommended selective surgical option for benign parotid disease.