There is a continuing controversy concerning the types of parotid gland tumors that may be adequately treated by enucleation or partial parotidectomy and those that require complete removal of the parotid gland with preservation of the facial nerve and its branches. Inasmuch as the parotid gland may be sacrificed with no physiological loss to the patient, the entire problem concerned in total parotidectomy consists of preservation of function of the facial nerve. As recurrence of mixed tumor is frequent after partial parotidectomy, total removal is indicated in all instances provided that the surgeon is able to rapidly locate and certainly preserve the facial nerve and its branches. The technique to be described has impressed us as being a safe and rapid method of preservation of the nerve in benign parotid tumors, and we now routinely perform total parotidectomies upon all patients in whom a parotid tumor exists. If an infiltrating