Many texts have been written about salivary disease as a collective, but the parotid gland deserves special distinction. The parotid gland is anatomically unique in its intimate relationship with the facial nerve. It is subject to a wide range of diseases from neoplastic to obstructive, infectious, and inflammatory. It develops more neoplasms than all remaining salivary glands combined. There has also been advancement in treatment of both neoplastic diseases of the parotid gland and sialolithiasis.

Historically, aggressive treatment of parotid gland disease was thought to be the most appropriate choice; yet, as in other fields, our understanding of the disease process is improving and our interventions are becoming less radical. In the case of salivary stone, sialoendoscopy has revolutionized treatment. It has also allowed us to offer treatments for processes that were previously untreatable, such as radioactive iodine–induced parotitis. In terms of benign salivary neoplasms, the approach to surgery has become more catered to benign disease and distinguished from surgical treatment of malignant diseases. What was once an acceptable morbidity of superficial parotidectomy is now addressed and prevented. Collaboration of head and neck surgeons, otologists, and reconstructive surgeons has allowed for a more comprehensive approach and improved outcomes. The contributing authors of this text are world-class experts in the field. They have put forth great effort in preparing exceptional articles with cutting-edge treatments. We hope you enjoy this issue of Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America and find it useful.

Our deepest gratitude to our parents for a lifetime of support, enthusiasm, and encouragement; our wives, Maryam and Jessica, for being loving and invaluable partners in our lives; and our beloved children, Kylie, Logan, Ava, and Daara. We would like to thank the exceptional editorial team at Elsevier. Jessica McCool, Alison Swety, and Santha Priya were instrumental in making this issue of Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America come to fruition.