ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the incidence of Frey syndrome after parotidectomy in adults and children, and to propose a practical classification system to describe the clinical symptoms and management burden of patients with subjective Frey syndrome. Methods This was a retrospective chart review and patient survey of all individuals who underwent parotidectomy at two quaternary care institutions over a 10‐year period (June 2013–June 2023). Patients were identified using CPT codes for parotidectomy procedures, and all age groups were included. Survey data were collected and managed using REDCap. A novel classification scale was developed to describe Frey syndrome severity based on patient‐reported symptom burden (Types 1–3). Results A total of 285 patients (229 adults and 56 children) completed the survey. Symptoms consistent with Frey syndrome were reported in 22.7% of adults and 55.4% of children, with most cases categorized as mild (Type 1: 19.2% of all adults; 42.9% of all pediatric patients). Eight adults (3.5%) and seven pediatric patients (12.5%) required medical or surgical intervention. Conclusion Frey syndrome is a recognized complication after parotidectomy. It is typically mild and infrequently requires treatment. The proposed classification system provides a practical tool for describing Frey syndrome severity to stratify patients by symptom burden and to evaluate the incidence of bothersome or painful Frey syndrome. Level of Evidence Level III.
Drozdowski‐Nuccio et al. (Mon,) studied this question.