Classification of parotidectomies: a proposal of the European Salivary Gland Society.

The objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive classification system for parotidectomy operations. Data sources include Medline publications, author's experience, and consensus round table at the Third European Salivary Gland Society (ESGS) Meeting. The Medline database was searched with the term "parotidectomy" and "definition". The various definitions of parotidectomy procedures and parotid gland subdivisions extracted. Previous classification systems re-examined and a new classification proposed by a consensus. The ESGS proposes to subdivide the parotid parenchyma in five levels: I (lateral superior), II (lateral inferior), III (deep inferior), IV (deep superior), V (accessory). A new classification is proposed where the type of resection is divided into formal parotidectomy with facial nerve dissection and extracapsular dissection. Parotidectomies are further classified according to the levels removed, as well as the extra-parotid structures ablated. A new classification of parotidectomy procedures is proposed.

Determining the number and distribution of intraparotid lymph nodes according to parotidectomy classification of European Salivary Gland Society: Cadaveric study.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the distribution of the parotid gland's intraglandular lymph nodes using the parotidectomy zones determined by the parotidectomy classification of the European Salivary Gland Society (ESGS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 128 parotid glands were dissected from 64 fresh cadavers, by bilateral parotidectomy without additional incision within the standard autopsy procedure, and categorized. RESULTS: Eighty-six percent of the IGLNs were located in the superficial lobe and 14% in the deep lobe. An average of 7.09 ± 3.55 IGLNs were found for each of the gland; there were 6.11 ± 3.28 in the superficial lobe and 0.98 ± 1.46 in the deep lobe. While the most common lymph nodes were found in level 2 with 47.7%, only 5% of IGLNs were at level 4. According to the proposed modification, the most common lymph nodes (35.24%) were located at level 2B. CONCLUSION: Level 2B was found to contain significantly more lymph nodes than other levels, which has not been evaluated before in literature.