Parotidectomy

In this chapter, the history of parotidectomy is provided, and indications, contraindications, pre-operative planning, and the different techniques of parotidectomy procedures are described. These include different types of parotidectomy (superficial or lateral parotidectomy, radical parotidectomy, and extended total parotidectomy), limited procedures (partial superficial parotidectomy and extra-capsular dissection), and enucleation (extra-capsular and intracapsular). Indications include neoplasms, inflammatory lesions, salivary duct stones, and sialorrhea. Post-operative complications are discussed. These are either early complications (facial nerve palsy, bleeding/hematoma, surgical site infection, skin flap necrosis, salivary fistula/sialocele, seroma, external otitis, and trismus) or late complications (Frey's syndrome, hypertrophic scar/keloid, unsightly scar, soft tissue defect, and recurrence).