Improving the quality of life of parotid surgery patients through a modified facelift incision and great auricular nerve preservation

• Published in: GMS. Interdisciplinary plastic and reconstructive surgery DGPW Vol. 2; p. Doc20
• Main Authors: Lorenz, Kai J, Behringer, Pia A, Höcherl, Dörte, Wilde, Frank
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany German Medical Science GMS Publishing House 2013
• Subjects: Blair incision; facelift incision; loss of sensation; parotidectomy; quality of life; Blair incision; facelift incision; quality of life; loss of sensation; parotidectomy
• ISSN: 2193-8091; 2193-8091
• DOI: 10.3205/iprs000040

Postoperative quality of life after parotidectomy depends not only on surgical outcomes, such as the complete removal of a tumour, non-recurrence and the preservation of facial nerve function, but also on scar satisfaction and the degree of sensory dysfunction in the upper cervical area and at the ear lobe. Especially young patients and women consider the scar in the infra-auricular area and in the neck region to be distressing and even disfiguring. Resection of the great auricular nerve leads to paraesthesia and hypoesthesia, which leads to discomfort in many patients especially when using the telephone, shaving or wearing earrings. A modified approach to the parotid gland via a facelift incision and the careful exposure of the great auricular nerve can reduce the aforementioned problems considerably and improve postoperative quality of life. We present our experiences with the modified approach at our institution.