Browse by author
Lookup NU author(s): Dr Andrew Chippindale, Neil McLean
Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.
Despite developments in imaging technology, visualisation of the intraparotid portion of the facial nerve is not possible. Three separate radiological techniques have been described to predict the position of the facial nerve: Conn's arc; a plane extending posteriorly from the outer surface of the mandibular ramus; and soft-tissue structures, including the posterior belly of the digastric muscle, the retromandibular vein and the lateral border of the masseter muscle. We investigated the reliability of these techniques in predicting the relationship of tumours to the facial nerve. Cross-sectional imaging of the parotid glands was performed prior to the removal of a parotid mass in 26 patients. Twenty patients underwent MRI, and six had CT scans. We removed 14 malignant neoplasms, nine benign lesions and three non-neoplastic lesions. The relationship of the tumour to the facial nerve was assessed radiologically by each of the three techniques, and compared with the findings at surgery. In 18 patients the tumour involved the parotid gland deep to the facial nerve. The above techniques predicted the position of the facial nerve in 69%, 58% and 46% of cases, respectively. When planning parotid surgery, it is important that the surgeon understands the advantages and limitations of the radiological assessment of the position of parotid tumours in relation to the facial nerve. (C) 2002 The British Association of Plastic Surgeons.
Author(s): Ragbir M, Dunaway DJ, Chippindale AJ, Latimer J, Mohammed F, McLean NR
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: British Journal of Plastic Surgery
Year: 2002
Volume: 55
Issue: 5
Pages: 376-379
ISSN (print): 0007-1226
ISSN (electronic): 1465-3087
Publisher: Churchill Livingstone
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1054/bjps.2002.3873
DOI: 10.1054/bjps.2002.3873
Altmetrics provided by Altmetric
