The parotid glands, also known as the salivary glands, are located in the cheeks. They can sometimes develop a tumor or other issues, in which case a parotidectomy, or surgery to remove parts of them, may be necessary. Read on to learn more about this procedure and its types.
Why Should You Get a Parotidectomy?
When a tumor has been found on the salivary glands, it can be either benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Even if it is benign, removal of the tumor is still recommended in most cases because the salivary glands are positioned next to a facial nerve. Actions such as smiling and raising the eyebrows can be negatively affected if the tumor grows and puts pressure on this nerve. In addition, if the tumor grows, it can damage surrounding tissue. Finally, benign tumors should also be removed because they carry the risk of becoming cancerous.
Other reasons to get a parotidectomy include salivary gland stones and recurrent salivary gland infections.
Types of Parotidectomies
A parotidectomy is a major surgery that is performed in a hospital setting under general anesthesia. One to two days of recovery in the hospital are often necessary. There are two major types of parotidectomies. One, called a superficial parotidectomy, involves operating on just the superficial parotid gland. An incision is made near the ear going down to the jawline. The doctor will remove the necessary parts of the gland, as well as a thin layer of healthy tissue if possible to limit the chances of recurrence. Finally, the area is stitched back up.
The other is called a total parotidectomy. In this surgery, the tumor either needs to be removed from the other half of the parotid gland, called the deep parotid gland, or it needs to be removed from both the superficial and deep parotid glands. Like with a superficial parotidectomy, the doctor makes an incision from the ear to the jawline to access the salivary glands and will remove the necessary part(s) along with a small amount of healthy tissue if possible.
How Long Does It Take for a Parotidectomy to Heal?
This depends on how big the tumor is, the location, and how involved the procedure is. Usually, a few weeks of recovery are needed before returning to regular activity levels. Side effects like facial numbness and weakness may take longer, around a year, to go away.
It’s extremely important to go with the right specialist for a delicate procedure like a parotidectomy. Dr. Edmund Fisher is a board-certified otolaryngologist and handles numerous parotidectomies per year. As a plastic surgeon as well, he also specializes in facial surgeries and working with the face’s unique anatomy, along with special attention towards aesthetic concerns such as minimizing scarring. If you’d like to book a consultation with Dr. Fisher, contact us here on our website for more information.
