International Clinical and Medical Case Reports Journal (ISSN: 2832-5788) | Volume 5, Issue 5 | Review Article | Open Access DOI
Nagasaireddy Konda*
Nagasaireddy Konda1*, Jatin Ponnamudi2, Anil Budumuru3, Mohana Kondapally4, Manojkumar Musunuri5, Jyothirmai Nagisetty6
1Assistant Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sibar Institute of Dental Sciences, Takkellapadu, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India
2Post Graduate, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sibar Institute of Dental Sciences, Takkellapadu, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India
3Associate Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, ESIC Dental College, Kalaburagi, Karnataka, India
4Consultant, Department of Periodontics and Implantology, Tenali, Andhra Pradesh, India
5Associate Professor, Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Sibar Institute of Dental Sciences, India
6Assistant Professor, Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Sibar Institute of Dental Sciences, India
*Correspondence to: Nagasaireddy Konda
Fulltext PDFBackground: Frey’s syndrome (FS), also referred to as gustatory sweating or auriculotemporal syndrome, is a common postoperative complication following parotidectomy resulting from aberrant parasympathetic nerve regeneration. Numerous reconstructive and barrier techniques have been proposed to minimize its occurrence.
Objective: To systematically evaluate the effectiveness of various interpositional barrier techniques in reducing the incidence of Frey’s syndrome following parotid gland surgery.
Methods: A systematic review was performed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Electronic databases including PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library were searched for studies evaluating barrier techniques used after parotidectomy. Randomized controlled trials, prospective comparative studies, and retrospective studies reporting postoperative Frey’s syndrome outcomes were included. Extracted data included study design, sample size, diagnostic modality, follow-up duration, and type of reconstructive barrier employed.
Results: Barrier techniques including temporoparietal fascia (TPF) flap, sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle flap, superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS) flap, acellular dermal matrix (ADM), and free fat grafts demonstrated a substantial reduction in postoperative Frey’s syndrome incidence compared with conventional closure. Among the evaluated techniques, TPF flap and ADM showed the most consistent long-term efficacy. Considerable heterogeneity was observed regarding diagnostic criteria and duration of follow-up.
Conclusion: Interpositional barrier techniques significantly reduce the incidence of Frey’s syndrome following parotidectomy. Fascia-based flaps and ADM appear to provide superior protection and improved cosmetic outcomes. Further multicenter randomized clinical trials with standardized diagnostic criteria and long-term follow-up are necessary to establish the optimal reconstructive strategy.
Frey’s syndrome; Parotidectomy; Gustatory sweating; SCM flap; SMAS flap; Acellular dermal matrix; temporoparietal fascia flap
Nagasaireddy Konda, Jatin Ponnamudi, Anil Budumuru, Mohana Kondapally, Manojkumar Musunuri, Jyothirmai Nagisetty. Effectiveness of Barrier Techniques in Preventing Frey’s Syndrome Following Parotidectomy: A Systematic Review. Int Clinc Med Case Rep Jour. 2026;5(5):1-7.