Volume‐Based Trends in Parotid Surgery

A total of 3,842 cases met study criteria. The majority of patients were female, white, had commercial or Medicare/Medicaid payer status and received their care at a community hospital. Malignant disease accounted for 19.2% of cases. Partial parotidectomy was the most common surgical procedure and was performed in 66% of all patients. (Figure 1) The distribution of primary parotid surgical procedures differed significantly between 1990-1999 & 2000-2009, with a decrease in other unspecified procedures, an increase in total parotidectomy, and an increase in neck dissection for 2000-2009 compared to 1990-1999 (P<0.001).