Parotidectomy: 10-Year Experience in the Hands of Surgical Oncologists

Parotidectomy is the most common salivary gland surgery, but there remains a paucity of literature regarding its outcomes in the hands of surgical oncologists.

A retrospective review was conducted of all patients (n = 74) who underwent parotidectomy by surgical oncologists at a single institution over 10 years (2015-2025). Demographics, perioperative characteristics, and complications were compared. Associations between clinical factors and complications were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression.

Most patients were White (85.1%) and male (51.4%) with a mean age of 59.9 years. The most common comorbidities were hypertension (48.6%), current smoking (40.5%), and anxiety (17.6%). Temporary facial nerve paresis occurred in 40.3% of patients by postoperative day one, with no cases of permanent facial nerve paresis. Frey's syndrome occurred in 9.0% and First Bite Syndrome (FBS) in 10.4% of tumor cases; a higher proportion of malignant cases experienced these complications in comparison to benign indications. Positive lymph node status was associated with FBS (p = 0.015), potentially reflecting more extensive surgical dissection. No significant risk factors were identified for other complications.

This study suggests that surgical oncologists with appropriate training can perform parotidectomies with complication rates within published ranges. Larger multicenter studies are needed to validate these findings and examine associations between clinical factors and rare complications, further establishing the role of surgical oncologists in parotidectomy.