Capsular significance in parotid tumor surgery: reality and myths of lateral lobectomy.

Historically, parotid gland surgery has evolved from an operation of surgical enucleation to that of lateral lobectomy or total parotidectomy with facial nerve dissection. While the enucleation operation originally resulted in recurrence rates as high as 45% in some series, the technique of lateral lobectomy has resulted in recurrence rates of 2% in benign tumors. However, the currently recommended procedure of lateral lobectomy or total parotidectomy with facial nerve preservation for benign or low grade malignant tumors is not a pure en bloc resection in most cases, and in fact enucleation in part or total is often the reality of the operation. Tumor characterization, technical features, and operative findings of parotid gland surgery are examined in 100 consecutive cases. In over 60% of the cases, superficial or total parotidectomy with facial nerve preservation incorporated the principle of limited enucleation or capsular dissection at some point in the technique. The illusion that en bloc removal of parotid tumors with wide surgical margins is discredited. The reality of the procedure and the reasons for its success are examined.