A 25-year experience with total conservative parotidectomy for primary benign pleomorphic adenoma (PBPA) of the parotid gland in a consecutive series of 229 patients has been reviewed. This study focuses on survival, morbidity, PBPA recurrence, postoperative facial nerve dysfunction, and Frey's syndrome. Surgical death was never encountered in this study. The overall incidence for postoperative hemorrhage, hematoma, seroma, skin necrosis, great auricular nerve schwannoma, and keloid scar was 1.7%, 6.1%, 4.8%, 0.9%, 15.7%, and 8.3%, respectively. Five-, 10-, 15-, and 20-year PBPA control actuarial rate was 99.6%. The overall incidence for temporary facial paresis and paralysis was 64.6% and 5.6%, respectively. Kaplan-Meier actuarial analysis demonstrated that paresis recovery was noted until the eighteenth postoperative month. The overall incidence for permanent facial paresis and paralysis was 3.9% and 0%, respectively. None of the following variables--sex, age, PBPA size, PBPA location, PBPA contact with the facial nerve, inadvertent PBPA spillage, or surgeon's experience--was statistically related to PBPA recurrence and facial nerve dysfunction. The overall incidence for Frey's syndrome was 65.9%. Kaplan-Meier actuarial analysis demonstrated the need for a minimal 5-year follow-up to assess Frey's syndrome incidence. The mean age was statistically lower in patients presenting with Frey's syndrome.