Minimal incision in parotidectomy.

Conservative parotidectomy has been for years an effective and well-established technique. Recently, aesthetic considerations have been reviewed. A minimal pre- and retroauricular incision is proposed that does not extend to the hair-bearing skin. This reduces the length of the scar and the extent of the dissection improving aesthetic results. This is a retrospective study of 32 parotidectomies performed through this incision because of benign parotid diseases and diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology. The minimal incision is mainly indicated in small and medium-sized tumours located in the superficial lobe of the parotid gland. Neither operating time nor the morbidity associated with parotidectomy is increased with this safe and effective technique for the treatment of benign parotid masses.