Combined transdermal scopolamine and botulinum toxin A to treat a parotid fistula after a face-lift in a patient with siliconomas

A parotid fistula is a rare, extremely unpleasant disease. Patients with chronic pathologies of the facial soft tissues have a high complication rate after aggressive treatments. Alternative conservative treatments have recently been reported for this condition. The case is described of a parotid fistula following a face-lift in a patient affected by facial siliconomas. A 41-year-old Caucasian who had undergone repeated facial silicone injections developed a diffuse granulomatous reaction accompanied by facial disfigurement. Thirteen surgical operations were performed to remove the siliconomas and correct the deformities, the last of which was a face-lift. After this procedure, the patient developed a parotid fistula. Conservative treatment, consisting of a combination of transdermal scopolamine and botulinum toxin A injections, was adopted. These antisialogogues gradually reduced saliva secretion, thereby preparing the wound bed for a skin graft and eventual healing. The choice of conservative therapy, as opposed to a surgical approach, was made to avoid further risks in what was already a highly complicated condition. The use of this conservative approach is recommended to treat complicated cases of parotid fistula.