Simultaneous application of ultrasound and sialendoscopy: experience in the management of stenosis and other non-sialolithiasis-related salivary gland disorders.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the value of the simultaneous application of ultrasound and sialendoscopy (US+SE) in several salivary gland diseases not caused either by sialolithiasis or by tumours.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

US+SE are routinely used in patients with inflammatory, obstructive, and other non-tumorous major salivary gland diseases. In patients in whom US and SE as single investigation tools were not conclusive or not useful in the management of several non-sialolithiasis-related conditions (stenoses, ductal anomalies, ductal trauma, space-occupying paraductal lesions), both methods were used simultaneously for diagnosis and treatment.

RESULTS

US+SE were used simultaneously in 44 patients for 56 indications. Stenosis was managed in 36 cases (81.8%) and in thirty-eight of the indications (67.9%) with simultaneous US+SE. The successful opening was achieved in 23 (63.9%), conservative and/or ablative treatment was indicated in 13 (36.1%), and further imaging was indicated in two (5.5%) of these cases. Post-traumatic or postinfectious complications were managed in 12 (27.3%) of all cases, and isolated ductal anomalies and paraductal space-occupying lesions were assessed in three cases (8.3%) each. In all instances, simultaneous US+SE clearly improved the management in diagnosis and/or therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Simultaneous application of US+SE provided additional information that proved to be valuable for diagnosis, planning, and treatment in several non-sialolithiasis-related conditions such as stenoses, ductal anomalies, ductal trauma, and space-occupying paraductal lesions.