Frey's syndrome and parotidectomy flaps: A retrospective cohort study

Abstract

Gustatory sweating, also known as Frey's syndrome, is a recognized phenomenon after parotidectomy. The incidence of clinically significant gustatory sweating may be dependent on the thickness of the skin flap that is elevated at the time of surgery. Dissection in the subcutaneous level or the deeper sub-superficial musculoaponeurotic system level are 2 commonly used techniques in the operation. Twenty-eight patients were prospectively evaluated for Frey's syndrome after superficial parotidectomy. Thirteen patients underwent subcutaneous and 15 patients sub-superficial musculoaponeurotic system flap elevation. The overall incidence of gustatory sweating was determined, and a comparison of the two surgical techniques was assessed subjectively by patient interview-questionnaire and objectively evaluated with starch-iodine testing.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

1. Duphenix

. Observations sur les fistules du canal salivaire de Stenon. I. Sure une playe compliquee a la joue ou le canal salivaire fut dechine. Mem Acad R Chir 1757; 3: 431–9.

2. Frey

. Le syndrome du nerf auriculotemporal. Rev Neurol 1923; 2: 97–104.

3. Singleton

Cassisi

. Frey's syndrome: incidence related to skin flap thickness in parotidectomy. Laryngoscope 1980; 90: 1636–9.

4. Linder

Huber

Schmid

. Frey's syndrome after parotidectomy: a retrospective and prospective analysis. Laryngoscope 1997; 107: 1496–501.

5. Bassoe

. The auriculo-temporal syndrome and other vasomotor disturbances about the head. Med Clin North Am 1932; 16: 405–7.

6. Sessions

Roark

Alford

. Frey's syndrome: a technical remedy. Ann Otol 1976; 85: 734–9.

7. Casler

Conley

. Sternocleidomastoid muscle transfer and superficial musculoaponeurotic system plication in the prevention of Frey's syndrome. Laryngoscope 1991; 101: 95–100.

8. Kornblut

Westphal

Miehlke

. The effectiveness of a ster-nomastoid muscle flap in preventing postparotidectomy occurrence of the Frey syndrome. Acta Otolaryngol 1974; 77: 368–73.

9. Owsley

Jr . SMAS-platysma face lift. Plast Reconstr Surg 1983; 71: 573–6.

10.

10. Bonanno

Casson

. Frey's syndrome: a preventable phenomenon. Plast Reconstr Surg 1992; 89: 452–6.

11.

11. Allison

Rappaport

. Prevention of Frey's syndrome with superficial musculoaponeurotic system interposition. Am J Surg 1993; 166: 407–10.