When our salivary glands are not functioning properly, we can experience a variety of problems.
Beverly Hills, CA (PRWEB) February 10, 2014
Dr. Babak Larian, Chairman and Director of the CENTER for Advanced Parotid Surgery in Beverly Hills, commented today on the parotid gland’s connection to the facial nerve. A new report from researchers at the University of Georgia reveals where a number of glands come from and the roles they play in the body’s natural defense systems.
“The parotid gland’s formation during embryonic development is also quite interesting,” Dr. Larian said. “The parotid gland develops very early in the fetus in the mother’s womb. As it grows, the parotid gland wraps around several lymph nodes and the facial nerve. The facial nerve that is developing at this time comes from deep in the skull and travels from underneath the ear through the deep part of the parotid gland to reach the muscles of the face.”
The parotid gland is located in a very crucial location on the side of the face, just in front and below the ear. In fact, the word parotid is derived from a term that means “around the ear.” Parotid gland health is important because your mouth affects the functionality of other parts of your body. There are many small ducts in the gland that come together to form the main parotid duct, the Stensen’s duct. These ducts bring saliva from the gland to the main duct that empties into the mouth at the upper cheek next to the back teeth.
“When our salivary glands are not functioning properly, we can experience a variety of problems,” Dr. Larian stated. “The salivary glands keep the mouth healthy and aid in the digestive process. Saliva contains amylase, an enzyme that digests starches to initiate the process of digesting food, and it also serves as a lubricant that guides chewed food through the digestive tract.”
Dr. Larian is not only the pioneer of micro-parotidectomy, a minimally invasive surgery that decreases pain and recovery time, he also performs surgery alongside Dr. Babak Azizzadeh, a world-renowned facial nerve expert. As a team, the two leading surgeons optimize movement to the facial musculature and give the best possible results.
“The relationship of the parotid gland to the facial nerve and the lymph nodes affects how diseases develop and is the reason why it is extremely important to seek treatment from an expert if you need parotid surgery,” Dr. Larian explained. “The facial nerve controls our facial movements, and if a patient suffers from facial nerve paralysis, he won’t be able to communicate and express himself properly.”
World-renowned parotid gland surgeon, Babak Larian, MD, FACS, is a graduate of the highly regarded U.C. Irvine School of Medicine and has completed a six-year residency program in Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery at UCLA. As the Director of the Center for Advanced Parotid Surgery in Los Angeles, Dr. Larian and his team of experts are responsible for the performance of cutting-edge minimally invasive salivary gland surgeries. Dr. Larian aims to provide his patients with the best possible care and surgical outcomes 100% of the time.
For more information about Dr. Larian and the Center for Advanced Parotid Surgery, please contact his office today by calling (310) 461-0300, or visit the expert parotid surgeon on the web.