Three months after superficial parotidectomy for a benign tumor, a patient reports sweating and flushing over the preauricular skin while eating. Which structure is responsible for this complication?

• A Greater auricular nerve
• B Chorda tympani nerve
• C Buccal branch of the facial nerve
• D Auriculotemporal nerve ✓

Explanation

This is Frey syndrome, gustatory sweating caused by aberrant regeneration of divided postganglionic parasympathetic secretomotor fibers traveling with the auriculotemporal nerve, which misdirect to innervate sweat glands and cutaneous vasculature instead of the parotid. The greater auricular nerve supplies sensation over the earlobe area, and chorda tympani carries taste, neither explaining gustatory sweating.

Reference: Cummings Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery, 7th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.