Sialocele

A  potential side effect of a parotidectomy that involves saliva collecting under the skin, which is caused by saliva leaking from the residual parotid tissue. The saliva production can cause visible swelling and pain with eating due to the pressure of the saliva on adjacent structures.

The pain is generally present throughout the meal. It can take several weeks or months for this condition to resolve and some patients may need to be treated with medication, pressure bandages, or drain placement.