Study of preoperative predictive signs in management of facial nerve in parotid tumors.

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVES To find preoperative predictive signs for better surgical planning of the facial nerve in parotid tumors. METHODS Prospective study in patients with primary parotid malignancies. Patients with primary parotid malignant tumor were investigated for preoperative clinical signs in correlation with histological findings and surgical management of the facial nerve. OUTCOMES The study included 47 patients. Several clinical findings as facial pain, paresthesia, and rapid growth of tumor might suggest the risk of malignancy. Paresis/palsy of the facial nerve was correlates with direct neural involvement. CONCLUSION There are several predictive clinical signs that might suggest malignancy of a parotid tumor.