Abstract
Objective: Minimally invasive techniques have an increasing relevance for the treatment of sialolithiasis of the parotid and submandibular glands. Sialendoscopy can be used as both a diagnostic and therapeutic tool.
Method: Retrospective data analysis for patients with a sialolithiasis of the parotid and submandibular glands who were treated between 2002 and 2008.
Results: A total of 206 patients were treated because of sialolithiasis of the parotid gland, 98 (48%) by interventional endoscopy alone, and 108 (52%) by combined procedures. Patients with submandibular disease (736) were treated endoscopically alone in 7.5% (55); 92.5% (681) received a combined treatment together with sialendoscopy. The follow-up showed that 93% of the patients treated with endoscopy alone were free of symptoms. In the combined group 90% and 79% of the patients with sialolithiasis of the submandibular glands and parotid glands respectively were free of symptoms.
Conclusion: Sialendoscopy is an important diagnostic and therapeutic tool in the management of sialolithiasis. It can be effectively used therapeutically as a single treatment option, and it improves the combined techniques. As a single treatment it plays a very important role in parotid gland stones.
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