抄録
We operated on 86 parotid masses of different etiology during the past nine years and three months. Based on our surgical experiences, we established principles for managing the facial nerve in parotid surgery. In case of malignant tumors, a wide excision of the tumor with the surrounding soft tissue is of prime importance for controling the tumor. To achieve this purpose, the facial nerve was inevitably sacrificed with the tumor. When a tumor, even if it is benign, adheres to the facial nerve, the involved branches of the nerve should be resected to prevent recurrence of the tumor. When the facial nerve was sacrificed, nerve repair or muscle transfer technique was employed according to the extent of the removal of the nerve. Nerve grafting, total or partial, was indicated when the facial nerve was sacrificed in its extratemporal portion. On the other hand, muscle transfer technique (the temporalis, masseter and digastricus) with multiple fascial suspension was employed when the nerve was removed in its intra-and extra-temporal portions.
