Parotidectomy in children: indications and complications.

BACKGROUND

Parotidectomy in children is uncommon, and surgeons face specific challenges not encountered in adult practice.

METHOD

Retrospective review of parotidectomies performed in our paediatric hospital over a 10-year period (1999-2008).

RESULTS

Twenty-one children underwent 22 parotidectomies, of which six were total. The following pathology was encountered: atypical mycobacterial infection (8.38 per cent), pleomorphic adenoma (4.19 per cent), lymphatic malformation (2.10 per cent), haemangioma (2 per cent), first branchial cleft anomaly (2 per cent), follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (2 per cent) and lipoblastoma (1.5 per cent). No cases of permanent facial nerve palsy occurred. Mild transient facial nerve palsy occurred in five patients (23 per cent), gustatory sweating in four (19 per cent) and hypertrophic scarring in three (14 per cent).

CONCLUSION

We discuss the range of parotid pathology found in children, the approach to investigation, the surgical difficulties encountered, and ways to reduce the apparently higher rate of complications encountered. Parotid surgery in children should be concentrated in the hands of a small number of surgeons with a particular interest in this area.