Evaluation of Preauricular Retromandibular Anteroparotid Versus Retromandibular Through Parotid Approach

A preauricular incision will be made that extends downwards in a curvilinear fashion in the cervicomastoid skin crease, though any variation in this incision will suffice. The great auricular nerve will be preserved and the flap raised in the subdermal fat plane, superficial to the superficial musculoaponeurotic layer to allow access to the masseter adjacent to the anteroinferior edge of the parotid gland, just below the parotid duct. Branches of the facial nerve will be readily identified and avoided with or without loupe magnification, on the surface of the masseter muscle.

The incision for the retromandibular approach begins 5mm below ear lobe and continues 3 to 3.5cm inferiorly. Initial incision begins through skin and subcutaneous tissues,platysma muscle ,(SMAS), parotid capsule Dissection is continued until the only tissue remaining on the posterior border of the mandible will be the periosteum of pterygomassetric sling,then the fracture site will exposed and reduced.