Removal of the submandibular gland by a retroauricular approach

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the benefit of a retroauricular approach by comparing it with a conventional transcervical approach for removal of the submandibular gland. Design: Prospective clinical study. Setting: Academic center. Patients: Thirty patients with benign submandibular gland disorders. Interventions: Patients were divided into 2 surgical groups to undergo retroauricular (n = 15) and conventional (n = 15) procedures matched by age, sex, marital status, and pathologic condition. The retroauricular approach used an incision along the postauricular sulcus and hairline and subcutaneous tunneling to the gland; the conventional approach used an incision along a natural skin crease overlying the gland. Main Outcome Measures: The operation time, complications, hospital stay, and subjective satisfaction of incision scar checked by visual analog scale were compared between groups. Results: The submandibular gland disorders were comparable between groups: pleomorphic adenoma (n = 15), chronic sialadenitis with sialolithiasis in the gland (n = 5) or hilum (n = 8), and Küttner (n = 1) or Kimura (n = 1) disease. Mean±SD operation times were 49±17 minutes in the retroauricular group and 38 ± 15 minutes in the controls (P = .08). Mean ± SD hospital stay and complication rates were comparable between groups. The mean ± SD score of patient satisfaction was 8.9 ± 0.9 in the retroauricular group and 4.2 ± 2.9 in the conventional group (P