Clinical significance of the retrograde facial nerve striping along marginal mandibular branch on parotid tumour resection

Objective To study surgical effects of the retrograde striping of marginal mandibular branch of facial nerve on the resection of parotid tumors.Methods This paper was to summarize and analyze retrospectively the clinical effects of 43 cases receiving parotid tumor resection from 2002 to 2010.Marginal mandibular branch of facial nerve were separated in all cases.Surgery excision for superficial lobe or the whole parotid gland was performed in 31 and 12 cases respectively.Results The followed up time was about 10～60 months,postoperatively.There was no patient appeared the recurrence.Fistula of parotid gland occurred in 2 cases,which was healed during 14~23 days after the surgery.No complications,such as permanent facial paralysis,postoperative bleeding or infection,were observed.Conclusions It is easy to expose adjacent structures through dividing marginal mandibular branch of facial nerve retrogradely,and helpful for reducing the incidence of facial paralysis.