[Analysis of causes of the parotid pleomorphic adenoma recurrence]

Out of the total number of 173 patients who had undergone surgery for pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid gland, 19 had to be treated owing to the recurrence of the tumor, following earlier surgery 12 patients were reoperated on by means of the enucleation technique; 5 underwent superficial parotidectomy; in 2 cases the recurrence took on the form of tumor of the parapharyngeal space, which was removed through the cervical-parotid approach. The causes of the recurrences were analyzed taking into consideration the operation technique applied in the first surgery. A serious consequence of pleomorphic adenoma recurrence is the possibility of its becoming malignant, which took place in 2 cases (10.5%), as well as a permanent paralysis of facial nerve during the reoperation, which occurred in 4 cases (21%).