The clinical course of patients who underwent parotid surgery in the ENT clinic of Hamburg University during the period 1982-1992 as a result of metastasis of a malignant melanoma or squamous cell carcinoma was studied. Either the lateral portion of the gland was removed (laterofacial parotidectomy) or the whole gland, thereby preserving the facial nerve (total parotidectomy) or removing it (radical parotidectomy).