FACIAL-NERVE MORBIDITY FOLLOWING PAROTID SURGERY FOR BENIGN DISEASE -THE CLEVELAND CLINIC FOUNDATION EXPERIENCE

Standard surgical management for benign tumors of the parotid gland re quires either superficial, subtotal, or total parotidectomy with prese rvation of the facial nerve. Although this approach is effective in mi nimizing recurrence, the resultant facial nerve morbidity is seldom ad dressed. Two hundred fifty-six consecutive patients who underwent paro tid surgery for benign neoplasia at this institution in the past 15 ye ars are reviewed, with attention to postoperative facial nerve functio n. Immediate dysfunction was frequently encountered (46.1%), but perma nent dysfunction was uncommon (3.9%). The incidence of long-term dysfu nction may be higher in revision cases and when an extended (total or subtotal) parotidectomy is performed.