Parotid abscess is drained by horizontal incision : explain anatomically ? 

A horizontal incision made in the parotid fascia, parallel to the branches of the facial nerve, drains a parotid abscess (Hilton's procedure).
This prevents damage to the face nerve's branches. The parotid gland is traversed horizontally by the facial nerve's terminal branches.

The parotid gland is separated into deep and superficial sections, with an isthmus connecting them. Facial nerve branches cross the isthmus in the plane between the superficial and deep portions, moving forward horizontally. This plane facilitates parotid tumor excision without causing nerve damage to patients.