Botox- the wonder poisonous healer

Botulinum toxin A has a wide variety of medical applications, which are related to the blockade of acetylcholine and often are associated with abnormal muscle contractures. The use of botulinum toxins has also revolutionised the treatment of various dental conditions like bruxism, gummy smiles, Frey’s syndrome spastic disorders, hypersalivation, orthodontic relapse, facial dystonias and temporomandibular disorders. The list of possible new indications is rapidly expanding. Many of these conditions are discussed with regard to their treatment with Botox compared to conventional treatments.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of modified facelift incision versus modified Blair incision in parotidectomy

Surgical removal is the treatment of choice for many neoplasms of the parotid gland. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the differences between parotidectomy using a modified facelift incision (MFI) and parotidectomy using a modified Blair incision (MBI). A systematic search of the available literature in PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library was performed. Studies of adult patients who underwent open parotidectomy with presumed benign parotid neoplasms based on preoperative examinations were reviewed. The surgical outcomes of the MFI and MBI groups were collected. Intraoperative and postoperative parameters, including operative time, tumor size, cosmetic satisfaction, and incidences of facial palsy, Frey’s syndrome and salivary complications, were compared. Dichotomous data and continuous data were analyzed by calculating the risk difference (RD) and the mean difference (MD) with the 95% confidence interval (CI), respectively. Seven studies were included in the final analysis. The pooled analysis demonstrated that the cosmetic satisfaction score was significantly higher in the MFI group (MD = 1.66; 95% CI 0.87–2.46). The operative duration in the MFI group was significantly longer than that in the MBI group (MD = 0.07; 95% CI 0.00–0.14). The MFI group exhibited a smaller tumor size (MD = − 2.27; 95% CI − 4.25 to − 0.30) and a lower incidence of Frey’s syndrome (RD = − 0.18; 95% CI − 0.27 to − 0.10). The incidence of postoperative temporary facial palsy (RD = − 0.05; 95% CI − 0.12 to 0.03), permanent facial palsy (RD = − 0.01; 95% CI − 0.06 to 0.03) and salivary complications (RD = − 0.00; 95% CI − 0.05 to 0.05) was comparable between the two groups. Based on these results, MFI may be a feasible technique for improving the cosmetic results of patients who need parotidectomy when oncological safety can be ensured.

Effects of acellular dermal matrix on the prevention of complications and esthetic outcome after parotidectomy: A propensity score matched analysis

Objective The present study was designed to investigate whether acellular dermal matrix (ADM) grafts could prevent Frey’s syndrome (FS) and improve esthetic scores following parotidectomy. Methods From January 2015 to December 2019, 175 patients underwent parotidectomy. We divided the patients into two groups: the ADM group and the control group. We included in each group 30 patients according to a propensity score matched analysis. Results FS was subjective in 1 patient (3%) from the ADM group and 9 patients (30%) from the control group ( P=0.015). Patients in the ADM group had a subjective esthetic score of 6.1 + 1.7 compared with 5.2 + 1.7 in the control group. The subjective esthetic score for patients in the ADM group was higher than that for patients in the control group ( P =0.040). Conclusion The present clinical study suggests that ADM grafts are effective in preventing FS and improving esthetic scores after parotidectomy.

Ultrasound-guided ethanol sclerotherapy for multifocal unilateral Warthin’s tumor after partial parotidectomy

Introduction Warthin’s tumor, also known as papillary cystadenoma lymphomatosum, is one of the most common benign salivary gland neoplasms. The current first-line treatment for Warthin’s tumor is parotidectomy. However, surgical resection has the risk of complications including facial nerve weakness and Frey’s syndrome. Recently, ultrasound-guided ethanol sclerotherapy (UGES) has been found to be efficacious in the treatment of a variety of head and neck lesions. Case report We present a patient with multifocal Warthin’s tumor who was managed with partial parotidectomy and two cycles of ultrasound-guided ethanol sclerotherapy. Discussion Ethanol sclerotherapy has been used as a minimally invasive alternative to surgical excision or observation alone for a variety of head and neck masses. To our knowledge, this is the first case presented in the literature where sclerotherapy was used in conjunction with a partial parotidectomy. Minimizing the extent of surgical resection can reduce the risk of facial nerve weakness and Frey’s syndrome and negate the need for fat grafting for defect reconstruction. Conclusion UGES may serve as a safe and reliable procedure that can be performed in conjunction with partial parotidectomy for patients who wish to achieve definitive diagnosis while also minimizing the risk of complications associated with extensive parotidectomy.

Autologous Free Dermal-Fat-Fascial Graft for Parotidectomy Defects: A Case Series

Background: Frey’s syndrome and facial asymmetry from loss of parotid tissue are long-term sequelae of parotid surgeries causing significant morbidity. Various techniques have been used to fill the parotidectomy defect, preserve facial contour symmetry, and prevent Frey’s syndrome. Free dermal-fat-fascial graft (DFFG) is one such technique; however, its use is largely undocumented in the literature. In this case series, we investigate the efficacy of free DFFG in reconstructing parotidectomy defects at 2 tertiary care centers. Materials and methods: Medical records of 54 patients who underwent primary parotidectomy and immediate reconstruction with autologous abdominal free DFFG by 2 surgeons in George Washington University Hospital and McGill University Health Centre between 2007 and 2019 were collected prospectively. Patients responded to 2 questionnaires addressing postoperative outcomes. Results: Fifty-four patients were included; 32 superficial parotidectomies and 22 total parotidectomies were performed for 39 benign and 15 malignant tumors. Thirty-seven patients could be reached. Out of 37 patients who responded to the first questionnaire, 59% (22) reported complete facial symmetry, 27% (10) reported mild hollowness, and 14% (5) reported mild fullness. None declared noticeable hollowness or fullness. While 81% (30) did not experience Frey’s syndrome, 5.4% (2) experienced mild symptoms without disability, and 13.5% (5) experienced debilitating symptoms. Out of 37 patients, 8 patients responded to a second questionnaire addressing the outcome of the abdominal graft donor site. In regard to the donor site, 87.5% (7) were satisfied or very satisfied from its cosmetic appearance, 75% (6) were not bothered by its cosmetic appearance, and 87.5% (7) had no discomfort at the graft donor site. Patients did not report any other symptom at the graft donor site. Conclusion: In this large series of total parotidectomies including malignant pathologies, autologous abdominal free DFFG effectively prevented Frey’s syndrome and preserved facial cosmesis in most patients.

Prevention of Frey’s Syndrome with the Use of Porcine Dermal Collagen Graft: Retrospective Analysis of 76 “Formal” Parotidectomies for Benign Pathologies

Background: Frey’s syndrome is a well-known complication of parotid surgery; its prevention may be achieved by the use of an interpositional barrier between the overlying flaps and the exposed parenchymal bed of parotid gland. The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate clinical outcomes with and without the interpositional placement of a porcine dermal collagen graft (PDCG) for prevention of syndrome occurrence. Methods: We conducted a 20-year retrospective study including the patients who had undergone “formal” (superficial, total, or subtotal) parotidectomies for benign pathologies. The inclusion criteria also involved patients that were (i) regularly monitored about clinical symptoms related to syndrome, and (ii) examined with Minor starch-iodine test. The severity of the diagnosed syndrome was retrospectively evaluated according to the grading score system of Luna-Ortiz. To assess group differences in terms of the extent of dissection in operating sites, we estimated the tumor and histological specimen volumes using the available dimensions. Results: We included 73 patients who had undergone 76 formal parotid surgeries. The surgical sites were divided into 2 groups: (1) Group A consisted of 44 sites that were reconstructed with a SMAS flap, and (2) Group B, comprised 32 sites where a PDCG was additionally applied as an artificial preventive barrier. At a mean follow-up of 26.3 months, a significantly lower incidence of clinically diagnosed Frey’s syndrome was found after the use of dermal collagen interpositional barrier ( P = .031). Specifically, subjective symptoms were reported at an incidence of 31.8% in Group A and 6.7% in Group B. Minor’s test was positive at an incidence of 59.09% in Group A and 21.87% in Group B ( P = .004, 95% CI). Severe Frey’s syndrome was observed in 31.82% of the patients of Group A and in 3.12% of the patients of Group B ( P = .002, 95% CI). Since there were no statistical significant differences between the volumes of the removed tumors and the excised histological specimens, the extent of dissection was not proved to influence the occurrence of Frey’s syndrome in the compared groups, Conclusion: Porcine dermal collagen is a safe, practical, and useful means for parotid reconstruction, since it seems to contribute in prevention of Frey’s syndrome when increased amount of glandular tissue has to be removed. Additional randomized controlled studies with bigger samples are required to better assess the PDCG use in parotid surgery.