[Surgery in benign parotid tumors: individually adapted or standardized radical interventions?]

Several authors demand emphatically that the minimal operative procedure in benign parotid gland tumors has to be a superficial parotidectomy.

Of a consecutive series of 372 patients with benign parotid tumors treated in our department between 1973-1996 81% of the patients could be followed up 1-24 years. in 10.9% a total parotidectomy was performed, in 16% a lateral parotidectomy and in 73.1% a simple extirpation of the tumor (often taking away a small margin of surrounding parotid parenchyma). The operating microscope and microsurgical techniques were used in all of these operations.

Of all the followed-up patients 2.3% developed a recurrence. There were no recurrences of cystadenolymphomas or of rare types of adenomas. Recurrences of primary treated pleomorphic adenomas occurred in 3.0%. In recurrent pleomorphic adenomas a further recurrence could be seen in 7.4% of the cases. The over-all incidence of permanent facial nerve weakness was 2.1%: 0.7% after extirpation, 3.3% after lateral parotidectomy and 9.7% after total parotidectomy. we observed in 6.3% a gustatory sweating.

Our data prove that with simple extirpation similar results compared to lateral parotidectomy can be achieved concerning recurrence, function of the facial nerve and the Frey's syndrome. We suggest a surgical management adapted to the extent, the size and the location of the parotid gland tumors. In our opinion lateral or total parotidectomy should be reserved for tumors of larger amount or deep located tumors.