"Practical suggestions on facial plastic surgery--how I do it". Parotid duct transfer in xerophthalmia.

Xerophthalmia, or dry eye, is an old human affliction. Among the many causes are trachoma, surgical or traumatic destruction of the lacrimal gland, and paralysis of the greater superficial petrosal nerve after Bell's palsy or from the presence or removal of an intracranial posterior fossa tumor. The technique of parotid duct transfer is a well established effective means to rehabilitate the dry eye. A method of parotid duct transfer is described.