Inflammatory and obstructive disorders of salivary glands.

Obstructive and inflammatory diseases of the salivary glands can have a congenital, traumatic, metabolic, or infectious-inflammatory cause. The acute inflammatory conditions include bacterial and viral infections, and the chronic conditions include sialoliths, strictures, chronic sialadenitis, sialectasis, and lymphoepithelial disease. The neoplastic disease can cause obstruction and/or infection and often make the diagnosis elusive. In addition to a working knowledge of possible etiology, one needs experience with clinical examination, salivary analysis, sialography, CT scans, MRI, and fine-needle aspiration and cytology in order successfully to evaluate and manage patients with these conditions.