Clinical Indicators: Parotidectomy
Procedure CPT Days1
Excision of parotid tumor or parotid gland; lateral lobe, without 42410 90
nerve dissection
Excision of parotid tumor or parotid gland; lateral lobe, with 42415 90
dissection and preservation of facial nerve
Excision of parotid tumor or parotid gland; total, 42420 90
with dissection and preservation of facial nerve
Excision of parotid tumor or parotid gland; total; 42425 90
en bloc removal with sacrifice of facial nerve
Excision of parotid tumor or parotid gland; total, 42426 90
with unilateral radical neck dissection
Related Procedures CPT Days1
Drainage of abscess; parotid, simple 42300 10
Drainage of abscess, parotid, complicated 42305 90
Sialolithotomy; parotid, uncomplicated, intraoral 42330 10
Sialolithotomy; parotid, extraoral or complicated intraoral 42340 90
Biopsy of salivary gland, needle 42400 0
Biopsy of salivary gland, incisional 42405 10
Unlisted procedure, salivary glands or ducts 42699
Indications
1. History (one or more required)
a) Parotid mass.
b) History of radiation to the neck.
c) Chronic parotitis.
d) A neck mass with histologic findings of metastatic parotid
tumor.
e) Parotid duct stone.
f) Malignancy of overlying skin extending into parotid
g) Malignancy metastatic to parotid.
1 RBRVS Global Days
2. Related Symptoms
a) Facial nerve paralysis.
b) Pain of parotid region.
3. Physical Examination (required)
a) Complete physical examination of the head and neck with
emphasis on inspection and palpation of the parotid gland,
oropharynx and neck.
b) Examination of facial nerve function.
4. Tests (required)
a) Pre-operative tests as required by institutional guidelines.
5. Tests (optional)
a) Fine needle aspiration biopsy.
b) Ultrasonography.
c) CT scan of neck.
d) MRI of neck.
e) Sialogram
f) Technetium-99 radionuclide imaging
Postoperative Observations
a) Facial nerve function
b) Bleeding - check for expanding hematoma; notify surgeon
Outcome Review
1. One Week
a) Facial nerve function - present in all branches of facial nerve?
Need for protection of eye from drying?
b) Wound healing well - infection or fistula?
c) Pathology report - compare with pre-operative needle aspiration
report if any. Are margins clear? Benign or malignant?
d) Discuss with patient any ear numbness and/or gustatory
sweating of facial skin.
2. Beyond One Month
a) If malignant - what type? Need for additional imaging? Is
additional therapy indicated?
b) If benign with tumor at margin - need for additional therapy?
c) Facial nerve function - present in all branches of nerve? Need
for protection of eyes from drying? Need for additional
rehabilitation?
d) Gustatory sweating - need for treatment?
e) e) Incision healed? Fistula present - management needed?
3. Beyond One Year
a) Malignancy or incompletely excised benign tumor - need for
imaging?
b) Facial nerve function - need for rehabilitation?
Associated ICD-9 Diagnostic Codes (Representative, but not all-inclusive codes)
072.9 Mumps without mention of complication (Epidemic parotitis, infectious parotitis)
142 Malignant neoplasm of major salivary glands
142.0 Parotid gland
210.2 Benign neoplasm of major salivary glands
228 Hemangioma and lymphangioma, any site
228.0 Hemangioma, any site
228.1 Lymphangioma, any site
230 Carcinoma in situ of digestive organs
235 Neoplasm of uncertain behavior of digestive and respiratory systems
235.0 Major salivary glands
351 Facial nerve disorders
351.0 Bell's palsy
527 Diseases of the salivary glands
527.1 Hypertrophy
527.2 Sialoadenitis
527.5 Sialolithiasis
527.6 Mucocele
527.7 Disturbance of salivary secretion
527.8 Other specified diseases of the salivary glands
527.9 Unspecified disease of the salivary glands
Additional Information
Assistant Surgeon -- Varies
Supply Charges -- N
Prior Approval - N/A
Anesthesia Code(s) -- 00100; 00300
Patient Information
Parotidectomy is a surgical operation to remove a large salivary gland (the parotid gland) located in
front and just below the ear. The most common reasons for removal of all or part of this gland are a
mass in the gland, chronic infection of the gland, or obstruction of the saliva outflow from the gland
causing chronic enlargement of the gland. Masses in the parotid are most commonly benign, but
about 20% are malignant. The physician will discuss with you the need for parotidectomy based on
your medical history, the results of a physical examination of the head and neck, and results of other
tests if indicated. The most common tests to determine whether a parotidectomy is necessary include
a fine needle aspiration biopsy (withdrawing a small amount of fluid from the parotid to see if
malignant cells are present), CT scan (an x-ray test that helps to determine the size and position of
the parotid tissues), and MRI ( an imaging test that does not use x-rays and helps to determine the
size and position of parotid tissues). In some cases no additional testing may be needed prior to
surgery.
The procedure is usually done under general anesthesia. The amount of parotid gland to be removed
is often determined at the time of surgery based on the size and location of the diseased parotid
tissue. The extent of surgery may also depend on pathological examination of tissues removed
during the surgery.
The nerve that controls motion to the face (the facial nerve) runs through the parotid gland. This
nerve is important in closing the eyes, wrinkling the nose, and moving the lips. Most often the
parotid gland can be removed without permanent damage to the nerve, however, the size and
position of the diseased tissue may require that the nerve, or small branches of the nerve, be cut to
assure complete removal. Even if the nerve is not permanently injured, there may be decreased
motion of the facial muscles as the nerve recovers from the surgical procedure. If facial motion does
not fully return your physician will discuss with you ways to rehabilitate facial movement.
Other possible short term complications include bleeding and infection. Although rare in parotid
surgery, some patients may develop a thick scar or keloid. Many patients experience numbing of the
earlobe and outer edge of the ear after parotid surgery. This generally resolves slowly over time. In a
small proportion of patients the face on the side of the parotidectomy sweats at mealtimes, (
"gustatory sweating"). Most often this goes essentially unnoticed, however, if it should become
bothersome medication and sometimes surgery are available.
Depending on the final diagnosis after the tissue is reviewed by a pathologist, additional diagnostic
tests and follow-up examinations may be needed. Most often masses of the parotid are benign, and
complete removal is the only treatment needed.
Important Disclaimer Notice
Clinical indicators for otolaryngology serve as a checklist for practitioners and a quality care review
tool for clinical departments. The American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery,
Inc. and Foundation (AAO-HNS/F) Clinical Indicators are intended as suggestions, not rules, and
should be modified by users when deemed medically necessary. In no sense do they represent a
standard of care. The applicability of an indicator for a procedure must be determined by the
responsible physician in light of all the circumstances presented by the individual patient.
Adherence to these clinical indicators will not ensure successful treatment in every situation.
The AAO-HNS/F emphasizes that these clinical indicators should not be deemed inclusive of all
proper treatment decisions or methods of care, nor exclusive of other treatment decisions or methods
of care reasonably directed to obtaining the same results. The AAO-HNS/F is not responsible for
treatment decisions or care provided by individual physicians.
CPT five-digit codes, nomenclature and other data are copyright 2009 American Medical
Association. All Rights Reserved. No fee schedules, basic units, relative values or related listings
are included in CPT. The AMA assumes no liability for the data contained herein.
© 2010 American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. 1650 Diagonal Road,
Alexandria, VA 22314.
