This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Parotidectomy (superficial)

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

A superficial parotidectomy is performed to remove tumours of the parotid salivary gland. The patient must be forewarned about operative risk of damage to the facial nerve.

A long incision is made behind the mandible and extended deeply beneath the external auditory meatus to identify the trunk of the facial nerve. The facial nerve and its branches are traced forwards in the parotid gland and all tissue superficial to them excised together with the tumour. A suction drain is applied to drain the wound.

Post-operatively, the movements of all muscles supplied by branches of the facial nerve should be checked. Initially, there may be weakness, but complete recovery should occur within 6-8 weeks unless a nerve has been divided at operation.


Related pages

Create an account to add page annotations

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.