Polycystic disease of the parotid glands: two familial cases.

Polycystic (dysgenetic) disease of the parotid glands is a rare disorder with only three fully documented reports in the literature containing a total of six cases. This developmental disorder of the distal ductal system appears limited to the parotid glands of female patients and is usually bilateral. We present two further cases with a confirmed familial background to add to the literature. This is the first documented report of familial polycystic disease of the parotid glands. The pathogenesis, mode of inheritance, clinical features, histological appearance and management of this interesting condition are discussed.