Aim:
The objective of our study was to evaluate the management of pleomorphic adenoma (PA), the most prevalent benign salivary gland tumour with malignant potential, and the recurrence rate after surgical removal performed by two surgeons.
Methods:
We conducted a retrospective review of parotid gland tumours between 1998 and 2020. The medical records, surgical notes, and histopathology results of patients treated by two surgeons in two institutions were examined.
Results:
We included 197 PA cases, with 116 females and 81 males. 93% of patients underwent surgery, of which 89.7% of cases underwent superficial parotidectomy. All histopathology results confirmed PA, and one incidental Warthin’s tumour was identified. Surgical complications were observed in 15% of patients, with facial nerve weakness (7%), Frey’s syndrome (3%), and a few local wound issues (1% each) being the most common. PA recurrence occurred in 13 cases (6.6%) ranging from one to 22 years post-surgery. No malignancy was detected.
Conclusions:
Our study reveals a low complication and recurrence rate, indicating good surgical technique. However, PA recurrence can still develop after 20 years, necessitating long-term follow-up.
Eoin Conlon1, Andreea Nae1, Husam Alhuwaish1, Muath Abahussain1, Safari Aketch2, Tom Moran1,2, Fergal O’Duffy1,2
1 Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, St. Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin
2 Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin