Parotidectomy for Treatment of Chronic Obstructive Parotitis

Objective: To assess the effects of superficial parotidectomy on the treatment of chronic obstructive parotitis. Materials and Methods: Between 1995 and 2005, 17 patients (median age, 43 years; range 23 to 63) with chronic obstructive parotitis received parotidectomy after failure of conservative treatments. They had continued symptoms for 3 to 10 years. Patients were diagnosed by sialography prior to surgery and were subjected to superficial parotidectomy. The anterior part of the main ducts was preserved in four cases, and the entire main ducts were removed in the remaining 13 cases. Results: A total of 16 patients had complete resolution of their symptoms following surgery. One case displayed persistent facial swelling for 4 months, resulting from an infection of the residual ducts; the symptoms disappeared after the removal of the ducts. Temporary facial paralysis occurred after surgery in seven cases, with complete recovery of all cases 6 to 12 months later. Conclusions: Parotidectomy is an effective surgical approach for the patients with chronic obstructive parotitis who fail to respond positively to conservative treatment and with symptoms recurring frequently. Superficial parotidectomy is the surgical technique of choice. It is essential to remove the entire main duct to prevent the recurrence of facial swelling. Keywords: chronic parotitis, facial nerve, operation, parotid, parotidectomy