Trends in parotidectomy over 30 years in an Australian tertiary care center

Background Nomenclature, classification, and management of parotid tumors are constantly evolving; this study was performed to identify temporal trends in histology and facial nerve sacrifice in parotidectomy during a 30‐year period (1987‐2018). Methods Retrospective analysis of patients treated in a single tertiary‐care institution during this time period was performed with analysis of temporal trends. Results Two thousand eight hundred and fifty‐seven parotidectomies were performed; pleomorphic adenoma was the most common histology (34.3%), followed by skin cancer metastases (32.3%). Significant trends noted were increasing age ( P  < .001), fewer parotidectomies for inflammatory lesions ( P  < .001), reduced incidence of mucoepidermoid carcinoma ( P = .048), increasing incidence of parotidectomy for cutaneous malignancies ( P  < .001), and reduced facial nerve sacrifice ( P = .034). Conclusion In this contemporary series of parotid pathology, metastatic cutaneous malignancies accounted for a third of cases. Despite reducing facial nerve sacrifice in parotid disease, it is still required in approximately 15% of malignancy and needs to be discussed with all patients preoperatively.