A comparison of one hundred and fifty consecutive parotidectomies for tumours and inflammatory disease

The demographic profile and complications are compared and contrasted for 1 50 consecutive parotidectomies. All patients were under the care of one sur geon (JDL) over a twenty-year period (1977-1997). The case records and cont emporaneous database were analysed retrospectively. 111 (74%) procedures we re performed for tumours and 39 (26%) for inflammatory disease. The inciden ce of unexpected permanent facial nerve palsy was 1.8% in the tumour group and zero in the inflammatory group. The overall unexpected palsy rate was 1 .3%. Transient paralysis was more common in the inflammatory group than the tumour group (61.5% compared with 33.3%, P<0.02) and was more likely to be panfacial (48.7% compared with 17.1%, P<0.0002). The overall incidence of Frey's syndrome was less than 20%, and both salivary fistulae and sialocoel es were infrequent.