Objective. According to the literature, periauricular combined with submandibular or cervical incision is used in nearly every parotidectomy. The aim of this study was to present the results of the use of only periauricular incision in parotid surgical procedures.
Design. A case series with planned data collection.
Setting. Patients of the author were operated on at the Hospital Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Subjects and Methods. Forty-one consecutive partial or total parotidectomies (27 cases of pleomorphic adenoma, 9 of other benign tumors, 3 of parotid cysts, and 2 of chronic parotiditis) were performed using only periauricular incision.
Results. The parotid tumors were removed in all cases with no need for any further skin procedures, as the incisions produced a good aesthetic result. All patients presented temporary hypoesthesia in the area that had been operated on for no more than 6 months. Ear discomfort was reported by 18 patients for a short period of time. Local infection occurred in 1 case successfully treated with systemic antibiotics.
Conclusion. The results of the present study indicate that periauricular incision is a high-quality and highly aesthetic option for surgical procedures concerning benign conditions of the parotid gland.
