Parotid Surgery
The parotid gland is the largest of the salivary glands. It is located under the skin on the side of the face, just in front of the ear. Parotid gland enlargement can be caused by a number of underlying diseases. Infection is a common cause of parotid enlargement - mumps is one example of these infections. The other main cause of parotid enlargement is a growth within the parotid gland. Most of these growths will be non-cancerous, but can continue growing until they become large and obvious.
Dr Magarey will provide the highest level of care when treating your parotid mass with:
- Complete examination and investigations
- Accurate diagnosis
- Thorough outline of treatment options
- Delicate surgery using microscopic instruments
- Excellent facial nerve preservation
- Minimal scar
Cancerous growths can arise from within the parotid gland itself, or be a secondary growth from a nearby skin cancer. Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, and we therefore see a high number of secondary skin cancers in the parotid.
Surgery is the main treatment to remove a growth or mass within the parotid gland. It is extremely delicate surgery due to the fact that the nerve that controls movement of the face passes through the parotid gland. The nerve must be visualised during surgery to ensure the highest level of safety. A surgeon who performs many parotid operations each year will offer the best results from parotid surgery.
Dr Magarey has performed hundreds of parotidectomy surgeries and will give you confidence that he can treat you with expertise, skill and the highest level of care.