Clinical management of masses arising from the accessory parotid gland.

OBJECTIVE: Accessory parotid lesions are clinically rare and its management remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical management of accessory parotid lesions. STUDY DESIGN: From April 1999 to November 2008, a retrospective analysis of 32 patients with accessory parotid lesions was performed. The preoperative examinations, surgical treatment, and prognosis were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: Among the 32 patients, there were 8 men and 24 women with an overall average age of 45 years. These patients always presented without obvious symptoms, and the masses were moderate to hard in hardness without tenderness, mobile, and with clear boundary. The pathologic diagnoses were 24 benign and 8 malignant lesions. Surgery and surgery plus radiotherapy were performed in the patients with benign and malignant lesions, respectively, with good prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: Accessory parotid lesions are rare, and the clinical manifestation is always the same for benign tumors. Surgical resection and surgical resection plus radiotherapy are the primary choices of treatment for benign and malignant lesions, respectively. The prognosis is always good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]