Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Machine learning (ML)-based facial nerve injury (FNI) forecasting grounded on multicentric data has not been released up to now. Three distinct ML models, random forest (RF), K-nearest neighbor, and artificial neural network (ANN), for the prediction of FNI were evaluated in this mode. METHODS: A retrospective, longitudinal, multicentric study was performed, including patients who went through parotid gland surgery for benign tumors at three different university hospitals. RESULTS: Seven hundred and thirty-six patients were included. The most compelling aspects related to risk escalation of FNI were as follows: (1) location, in the mid-portion of the gland, near to or above the main trunk of the facial nerve and at the top part, over the frontal or the orbital branch of the facial nerve; (2) tumor volume in the anteroposterior axis; (3) the necessity to simultaneously dissect more than one level; and (4) the requirement of an extended resection compared to a lesser extended resection. By contrast, in accordance with the ML analysis, the size of the tumor (>3 cm), as well as gender and age did not result in a determining favor in relation to the risk of FNI. DISCUSSION: The findings of this research conclude that ML models such as RF and ANN may serve evidence-based predictions from multicentric data regarding the risk of FNI. CONCLUSION: Along with the advent of ML technology, an improvement of the information regarding the potential risks of FNI associated with patients before each procedure may be achieved with the implementation of clinical, radiological, histological, and/or cytological data.