Pitfalls in diagnosis and treatment of parotid gland tumours

ABSTRACT

A head and neck surgeon dealing with parotid neoplasia feels his steps with considerable caution. This study presents abnormal situations, where some parotid swellings were misdiagnosed or their management entailed more experienced surgical skill. Fifteen patients were described, one was suffering from possible occult neoplasm, one from lymphoma of the parotid and three patients had paragangliomas related to the gland. The remaining ten patients had extensive malignant swelling, where the overlying skin and the mandibular ramus were involved by neoplasm