초록
Purpose: Frey's syndrome is a common complication after parotid surgery and characterized by gustatory sweating and flushing in the periauricular area during meals. Although a variety of methods have been proposed to prevent this postoperative problem but they have been unsatisfactory. In this article, therefore, botulinum toxin A was used to treat nine patients with Frey's syndrome and its duration effect after injection was investigated. Methods: Nine patients became the object of study about the effect of botulinum toxins as treatment of Frey's syndrome. Age of patients ranged from 25 to 78 years (mean, 43.7 years). Six of nine patients had both symptoms of gustatory sweating and flushing. And the others had only gustatory sweating symptom. Using Minor starch iodine test, the affected skin area was detected, and it was marked by $1cm^2$ sized grid appearance. After application of EMLA cream on the gustatory sweating area, botulinum toxin A was injected intracutaneously into the affected skin area ($2.5U/cm^2$). Patients were followed up from six to fifteen months (mean, about 12 months) and asked about improvement of their symptoms. Results: The treatement with botulinum toxin A took effective within two days after injection. Six months after injection, gustatory sweating disappeared completely in all patients, and five of six patients who had gustatory flushing improved in their symptom. Last follow-up, no patients complained of recurrent gustatory sweating and flushing except one. One patient, seven months after initial injection, was retreated with botulinum toxin A because of recurrence, and the result was successful. The duration of the effect after botulinum toxin A treatment was ranged from seven to thirteen months. One patient in our series experienced the upper eyelid weakness as adverse effect, but it improved spontaneously. Conclusion: Local injection of botulinum toxin A is an effective, safe and long - lasting method for treatment of Frey's syndrome. Hereafter, however, additional study will be required to evaluate the duration effect of botulinum toxin A according to frequency in use and dosage.
