Lipoma is the most common mesenchymal neoplasm in the human body but found very rarely in the parotid gland. Only 13% of them arise in the head and neck region and most of these occur subcutaneously in the posterior neck. Rarely, they can develop in the infratemporal fossa, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx and parotid gland. Parotid gland lipoma is accounting for approximately 1-4% of all salivary gland tumors. The average age of affected patients is fifth decade of life. It is 5-10 times more common in males.

A 39 year old man who submitted to Fırat University Fırat Medical Center, presented with a 10 month history of a painless, slow growing mass in the left preauricular area. A left superficial parotidectomy was performed. Histopathological examination showed a parotid lipoma. Because of the relative rarity of lipomas occuring in the parotid region, we discussed based on the current literature. ©2006, Fırat Üniversitesi, Tıp Fakültesi