Submandibular Triangle Masses

Abstract

Objectives:

Retrospectively analyze patients operated due to submandibular triangle mass over 10 years.

Methods:

The charts of adult patients who underwent surgical intervention for submandibular triangle mass between January 2000 and November 2010 were reviewed. The medical history, age, sex, duration of symptoms, clinical presentation, preoperative investigations, and histopathologic findings were reviewed.

Results:

The study included 66 subjects who had a surgical intervention for submandibular triangle mass lesion. There were 12 patients (18.2%) with submandibular gland sialolithiasis, 18 patients (27.2%) with submandibular gland sialadenitis, 10 patients with lymphadenitis (15.1%) and 17 patients (25.7%) with neoplasia. Benign tumors of submandibular gland comprised 22.7% of all submandibular triangle masses, while malign tumors of submandibular gland comprised 3%. The most common benign tumor of submandibular gland was pleomorphic adenoma. The main symptom was a painless mass. The range of symptoms duration time was 3-48 months. Ultrasonography was the most common preoperative diagnostic tool. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) was performed in 26 patients with a correct diagnosis rate of 88%.

Conclusions:

Submandibular gland lesions are the most common masses located in the submandibular triangle. A detailed medical history, physical and endoscopic examinations, radiologic and histopathologic investigations should be performed for differential diagnosis in order to prevent unnecessary surgeries.