Oral manifestations of Wegener's granulomatosis. Review of the literature and report of a case.

Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) is a rare granulomatous vasculitis which used to run a fatal course. At present, it is possible to control or sometimes even cure the disease with immunosuppressives. Successful treatment depends largely on early diagnosis.

Current diagnosis and therapy of parotid tumours.

After reviewing a group of more than 400 patients with parotid tumours, we feel that clinical examination, screening ultrasound scanning and pre-operative CT-scan are our most important diagnostic tools. Our treatment concept is based on direct posterior dissection of the main trunk of the facial nerve, total conservative parotidectomy with ablation of all glandular tissue especially in pleomorphic adenomas so that recurrency can be avoided, intra- and postoperative histological examination and filling in the post-operative soft tissue depression in all cases where intra-operative histological examination excludes malignancy. Primary post-parotidectomy defect substitution techniques using the platysma (Roscic) and the sternocleidomastoid muscle (Rausch) as well as a SMAS- and temporoparietal fascia- or galea-flap are illustrated.