Application of Sternocleidomastoid Muscle Flap in Operations for Parotid Benign Tumors

Objective: To access the effect of sternocleidomastoid muscle flap in the restoration of sunken deformity of face, and preventing Frey's syndrome after parotidectomy. Methods: In this study,141 patients of parotid benign tumor underwent part superficial lobectomy, and soft tissue defects of 48 patients were repaired by the sternocleidomastoid muscle flap as group A(experimental group), the soft tissue defects of other93 patients were not repaired by any flap as group B (control group). From 6 months to 3 years after operation,the sunken deformity of faces was observed, and all patients were examined by iodine starch test. Results: There were obvious sunken deformity of faces in group B, and 30 in 93 patients were positive in iodine starch test, with the rate of 32.3%. While there were no obvious sunken deformity of faces in group A, and only 7 in 48 patients were positive in iodine starch test,with the rate of 14.6%. The positive rate of iodine starch test were significantly lower in group A than that in group B (x2=7.40, P0.01).Conclusions: Sternocleidomastoid muscle flap is effective to correct the deformity of face after parotidectomy and decrease the occurence of Frey's syndrome.