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A Review of Parotid Gland Tumours in Port Harcourt, Nigeria Onotai Lucky, Department Of Ent Surgery Upth, Port Harcourt Rivers State and Opara Kingsley Department of Surgery Imo State University Teaching Hospital Orlu, Imo State

Lucky Obukowho Onotai, Kingsley Opara

BACKGROUND: Among salivary gland tumors, 80% arise in the parotid glands. Parotid tu-mors pose a challenge to most surgeons both in diagnosis and treatment. This study evalu-ates the clinical profile and management out-comes of parotid gland tumors in Port Har-court, Nigeria.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The records of patients who presented with parotid gland swellings to the department of Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery in the University of Port Har-court Teaching Hospital (UPTH) and Kinx Medical consultant clinic in Port Harcourt, over a 7-year period (May 2007 to June 2014) were retrospectively examined. Patients' de-mographic data, clinical presentation, investi-gations, surgical management, histological diagnosis and outcome were obtained and analysed.

RESULTS: A total of 48 patients with parotid tu-mors were seen out of a total of 3095 patient who had head and neck tumors giving a preva-lence of 1.6%. Age range was 20-75 years with a mean of 47.58 (SD ± 11.93) years. The M: F ratio was found to be 1.4:1.The commonest 30 (62.5%) mode of presentation was firm to soft pre-auricular swelling. Five (10.4%) patients were found to be retroviral positive preopera-tively. Superficial parotidectomy was the pre-dominant 45 (93.7%) form of surgery carried out while 3 (6.2%) of our patients had total pa-rotidectomy out of which one had reconstruc-tion of the skin around the parotid area with a bilobed random transposition flap. Pleo-morphic adenoma was the commonest 41 (85.4%) tumor seen in our series. Immediate post-surgical transient facial nerve palsy was the commonest 40 (83.3%) surgical complica-tion encountered.Post-surgical radiotherapy was recommended to all patients who were found to have malignancies.

CONCLUSION: Pleomorphic adenoma was the commonest histopathologic parotid salivary gland tumor that required surgery in our environment while the commonest post-surgical complication was transient facial nerve palsy. To improve the outcome of management of patients with malig-nancies a standard functional Radiotherapy facility should be established in every tertiary health facili-ties in the country to enhance cost effective pa-tient management.