Parotid tumours: a review of parotid tumour surgery in the Northern Regional Health Authority of the United Kingdom 1978-1982.

A review of inpatients treated for parotid tumours during the 5-year period 1978 to 1982 in the Northern Regional Health Authority of the United Kingdom revealed 376 new parotid tumours and 28 recurrent tumours. The incidence of new parotid tumours was 2.4 per 100,000 and of pleomorphic adenomas 1.5 per 100,000 per annum. Local excision was the most common operation and was employed to remove 156 (67.2 per cent) of the 232 pleomorphic adenomas but there was evidence of incomplete excision in 60 (38.5 per cent) of these tumours. Incomplete excision also occurred in 12 (15.8 per cent) of the 76 pleomorphic adenomas removed by conservative parotidectomy. Global temporary facial nerve palsy was more common after conservative parotidectomy for benign tumours (21.8 per cent) than after local excision (3.7 per cent) but global permanent nerve palsy only occurred after local excision (0.9 per cent). The widespread use of local excision resulted in its use in 12 (27.3 per cent) of the 44 malignant tumours. The low incidence of parotid tumours and their treatment by a relatively large number of surgeons resulted in limited experience for surgeons and few opportunities for training in parotid surgery.