Abstract
We conducted a study of the clinical characteristics of 125 benign parotid tumors that were surgically resected between July 2000 and March 2009, which included patient age and sex, histopathology, tumor size, tumor localization, and postoperative complications. There were 59 males and 66 females, with an age range of 15 to 88 years and an average age of 54.6 years. Histopathologically, pleomorphic adenoma was observed in 62 patients (49.6%), and Warthin's tumor in 45 (36.0%). Pleomorphic adenoma was more frequent in female patients than in male patients, and the average patient age was higher for those with Warthin's tumors than pleomorphic adenomas. The size of the extirpated tumors ranged from 10 to 160 mm, with an average of 29.9 mm. Twenty-eight of the 125 patients (22.4%) experienced transient facial palsy but recovered within 3 months. A salivary fistula occurred in 4.0% of the patients, but there was no Frey syndrome. Surgery is the treatment of choice for parotid gland tumors. Although active surgery is recommended for benign parotid tumors, both patients and their families should be made sufficiently aware of the possibility of postoperative complications when informed consent is obtained.
