Role of the sternocleidomastoid muscle flap preventing Frey's syndrome andmaintaining facial contour following superficial parotidectomy

The sternocleidomastoid muscle flap may play a significant role in reducing the incidence of Frey's syndrome and maintaining facial contour after paro tidectomy. Patients who underwent superficial parotidectomy from August 199 2 to March 1999 were divided into two groups (N = 26). One group had sterno cleidomastoid muscle flap reconstruction. A historical cohort study was des igned with the two groups being matched for sex, age, pathology, postoperat ive radiation, date of surgery, and extent of dissection. The starch iodine test was used to evaluate for gustatory sweating, and the Observer Rated D isfigurement Scale was used to assess facial contour and aesthetics. The re sults of our study suggest that the sternocleidomastoid flap reconstruction following parotidectomy surgery does not alter the incidence of Frey's syn drome and does not significantly improve facial contour and aesthetics.