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Parotidectomy: the timing of post-operative complications

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Abstract

We evaluated the timing of complications following parotidectomy. We performed a 119-patient retrospective case series analysis over a 12-year period (1994–2006) and investigated timing of post-operative complications. 38% of temporary facial nerve palsies resolved within 1 month, 78% within 3 months and all recorded resolved within 7 months. Tumour recurrence, ranged from 5 months to 9 years post-surgery with a median of 5 years. Salivary fistula formation ranged from 3 to 45 days post-surgery with a median of 11.5 days. The development of Frey’s ranged from 20 days to 22 months, median 11 months. This information can better inform clinicians and those patients undergoing parotidectomy.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Hugh Cable and Richard Bickerton for contributing through allowing their results to be evaluated.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Correspondence to Scott E. Henney.

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Henney, S.E., Brown, R. & Phillips, D.E. Parotidectomy: the timing of post-operative complications. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 267, 131–135 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-009-0980-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-009-0980-1

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