Parotid gland disease in childhood: diagnosis and indications for surgical intervention

We retrospectively analysed the clinicopathological profiles of all 9 patients aged 16 years and under who had had parotidectomies at York Hospital, UK from 1995 to 2009. The operations were superficial parotidectomy (n = 3), partial parotidectomy (n = 4), and total parotidectomy with preservation of the facial nerve (n = 2). The histological diagnoses were anomalies of the remnant of the branchial arch (n = 4), and pleomorphic adenoma, haemangioma, cat scratch disease, juvenile chronic parotitis, and sarcoidosis (n = 1 each) The histological diagnosis matched the clinical diagnosis in only 5. The most common complication (n = 6) was transient weakness of the facial nerve. Various conditions that may be difficult to diagnose clinically can affect the parotid gland in young patients and require intervention. We describe our investigations, and indications for intervention in the management of parotid disease in children.