Surgical instruments
Parotid tumor surgery, also known as a parotidectomy, is a procedure that removes tumors and drains infections from the parotid gland, a salivary gland located on both sides of your face. The surgery is complicated because the facial nerve runs throughout the parotid gland. Disturbing this nerve can have serious consequences such as facial paralysis. Surgeons must inform patients of the potential complications and perform the operation with meticulous care.
Indications
Surgery is performed when the parotid gland has a tumor, infection or blockage. The tumor may be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous). An abscess, or large pocket of infection, can form in the parotid gland, causing fever and difficulty eating. Stones in the saliva can block the gland's drainage duct and cause swelling or lead to infection.
Procedure
According to Georgetown University Hospital, parotid gland surgery can take two to five hours to complete depending upon how much of the gland the surgeon removes. The patient is put under general anesthesia, and the surgeon makes a cut from the front of the ear to the neck. The parotid gland has two parts: the superficial lobe and the deep lobe. For benign tumors, the surgeon removes the superficial lobe. If the gland is cancerous, the surgeon removes it entirely.
Risks
According to Georgetown University Hospital, risks for parotid tumor surgery include facial nerve damage resulting in facial paralysis; infections at the incision site; saliva drainage; and Frey syndrome, which is characterized by sweating of the face while eating.
After Surgery
Expect to leave the hospital with sutures on your skin and a drain (small tube attached to a bulb) in place. The drain will collect blood and saliva from the wound site. According to Georgetown University Hospital, the drain is removed two to four days after surgery. Expect to take antibiotics and follow a soft liquid diet as well.
Alternatives
Parotid gland surgery has no alternative treatments. If you have a suspicious lump, doctors will want to remove it or test it to determine whether it is cancerous. A doctor may perform a fine needle aspiration to sample the lump and determine whether it is a lymph node, the parotid gland or pus from an infection.
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