BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of hypoesthesia after superficial parotidectomy depending on preservation of posterior branch of the great auricular nerve (GAN). METHODS: This prospective, controlled, double blind, multicenter trial included 130 patients. The posterior branch was preserved in 93 patients (GAN group), and ligated in 33 patients (non-GAN group). In 4 patients, GAN status was unknown. Included patients underwent sensory testing (TouchTest) and subjective evaluation at 6, 12, and 24 months after surgery. RESULTS: Better improvement of sensation was present in the GAN group. After 12 months, 59% of the patients in the GAN-group showed positive test results in the lobule, versus 24% of the non-GAN group (p = .013). Additionally, after 24 months, 71% of the patients in the GAN-group showed a positive test in the antitragus, versus 31% in the non-GAN group (p = .045). Hypoesthesia equally limited quality of life in both groups (all p > .05). CONCLUSION: Preservation of the posterior branch of the GAN led to significantly better improvement of sensation in the lobule and antitragus, and should be recommended during parotidectomy.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of hypoesthesia after superficial parotidectomy depending on preservation of posterior branch of the great auricular nerve (GAN). METHODS: This prospective, controlled, double blind, multicenter trial included 130 patients. The posterior branch was preserved in 93 patients (GAN group), and ligated in 33 patients (non-GAN group). In 4 patients, GAN status was unknown. Included patients underwent sensory testing (TouchTest) and subjective evaluation at 6, 12, and 24 months after surgery. RESULTS: Better improvement of sensation was present in the GAN group. After 12 months, 59% of the patients in the GAN-group showed positive test results in the lobule, versus 24% of the non-GAN group (p = .013). Additionally, after 24 months, 71% of the patients in the GAN-group showed a positive test in the antitragus, versus 31% in the non-GAN group (p = .045). Hypoesthesia equally limited quality of life in both groups (all p > .05). CONCLUSION: Preservation of the posterior branch of the GAN led to significantly better improvement of sensation in the lobule and antitragus, and should be recommended during parotidectomy.
Authors: Orlando Guntinas-Lichius; Carl E Silver; Jovanna Thielker; Manuel Bernal-Sprekelsen; Carol R Bradford; Remco De Bree; Luis P Kowalski; Kerry D Olsen; Miquel Quer; Alessandra Rinaldo; Juan R Rodrigo; Alvaro Sanabria; Ashok R Shaha; Robert P Takes; Vincent Vander Poorten; Peter Zbären; Alfio Ferlito Journal: Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol Date: 2018-09-28 Impact factor: 2.503
Authors: Cassidy Werner; Anthony V D'Antoni; Joe Iwanaga; Koichi Watanabe; Aaron S Dumont; R Shane Tubbs Journal: Neurosurg Rev Date: 2020-10-20 Impact factor: 3.042
Authors: Georgios Psychogios; Christopher Bohr; Jannis Constantinidis; Martin Canis; Vincent Vander Poorten; Jan Plzak; Andreas Knopf; Christian Betz; Orlando Guntinas-Lichius; Johannes Zenk Journal: Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol Date: 2020-08-04 Impact factor: 2.503