Facial nerve stimulation and postparotidectomy facial paresis.

Objective: We sought to evaluate the association of intraoperative facial nerve stimulation and postoperative facial nerve paresis/paralysis.

Study Design And Setting: Eighty-nine consecutive patients who underwent parotidectomy by a single surgeon were retrospectively analyzed for age, gender, size of tumor, tumor histology, and intraoperative use of a facial nerve stimulator.

Results: Facial paresis developed in 22% (10 of 46) of the patients who were stimulated and 22% (5 of 23) of the nonstimulated patients.