The incidence and management of siaolocele after parotidectomy

OBJECTIVES: (1) To determine if a postparotidectomy sialocele occurs at a higher incidence with a partial superficial parotidectomy compared with a near-complete parotidectomy and (2) to determine if needle aspiration versus observation yield more persistent sialoceles beyond 1 month. STUDY DESIGN: A single-surgeon, single-institution case series with a chart review. METHODS: Comparing 100 consecutive partial superficial parotidectomy procedures and 20 consecutive near-total parotidectomy procedures for formation of a postoperative sialocele. Patients were evaluated at 1 week and 1 month postoperatively. The first 18 sialoceles were treated with one or more needle aspirations. The last 21 sialoceles were treated with observation. RESULTS: There were 39 sialoceles in the partial superficial parotidectomy group (39/100, 39%) and none in the near-total parotidectomy group (0/20, 0%) (P < 0.05). All sialoceles resolved by the end of the first postoperative month whether aspirated or not aspirated. CONCLUSIONS: Sialoceles are common postpartial superficial parotidectomy, and they did not Occur after near-total parotidectomy. Sialoceles can generally be treated by observation with an expectation of resolution within I month. (C) 2009 American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation. All rights reserved.