Background: Surgical management of recurrent pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid gland has a considerable risk of facial nerve injury and a high re-recurrence rate. To obtain more insight into this issue we evaluated our experiences.
Methods: Medical records and histologic material of all these patients (31 women and 21 men), who had been treated from 1976-1995 were reviewed. Median interval between initial treatment and commencement of recurrences was 3 (0.8-18) years. Last surgery consisted of parotidectomy in 48 patients (92%), including 19 (40%) total procedures and wide local excision with involved skin in four patients.
Results: At a median follow-up of 9 years, eight patients (8/52; 15%) had re-recurrences develop, including 4 of 21 patients (19%) after a previous parotidectomy (group I) and 4 of 31 patients (13%) without prior parotidectomy (group II). The chance of re-recurrence in a group of patients with a minimal follow-up of 10 years after salvage surgery was 17% (4 of 24). The risk of a new relapse was, respectively, 4% and 8% at 1 and 5 years after treatment of recurrent disease. Acceptable N.VII function was preserved in 45 of the 49 (92%) nerves at risk. The risk of N.VII injuy was higher and more serious in group I (29% vs 10% in group II). The function of four of the five (80%) reconstructed zygomaticotemporal branches of the N.VII was adequate.
Conclusion: Surgical treatment of recurrent pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid gland, usually consisting of a parotidectomy with wide extent and eventually facial nerve reconstruction, demonstrates favorable results with acceptable morbidity. The risk of new relapse and N.VII injury was higher after previous parotidectomy.