Parotid Surgery

The parotid gland is a salivary gland that manufactures saliva and transports it via a small duct into the oral cavity.
Indications for parotidectomy include, but are not limited exclusively, to benign and/or malignant growths in the parotid gland itself, as well as chronic infection, and retained stones that may form in the parotid gland.

Possible complications that may occur during or after parotid surgery can include injury to the facial nerve. This is the motor nerve that is responsible for movement of facial muscles on that side of the face. Permanent injuries of this kind are very rare, however, the nerve certainly can be stretched during the surgery, and a temporary weakness of some of the branches may occur from time to time. There may also be some swelling of the nerve which can occur during surgery. This would cause weakness of the nerve several days after the surgery.