Long-term experience with endoscopic diagnosis and treatment of salivary gland inflammatory diseases.

OBJECTIVES To assess the efficacy of the sialoendoscopic technique for treatment of inflammatory salivary gland diseases. This report documents the authors' long-term experience with sialoendoscopy and discusses the long-term results of the procedure, technical issues, and varieties that they have utilized, as well as the advantages and limitations of this modality. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective clinicopathologic study of 236 patients who were endoscopically treated from 1994 to 1999 for suspected salivary gland obstructive disease. METHODS Endoscope employed was the third generation sialoendoscope (Nahlieli Sialoendoscope, Karl Storz, Tuttlingen, Germany). RESULTS Ten sialoendoscopies were immediate failures as a result of technical problems. In the remaining 226 glands, 170 had obstructions and 56 had sialadenitis without evidence of obstructions. The success rate was 83%. Multiple endoscopic findings were encountered. No severe complications were noted. CONCLUSION This report demonstrates the efficacy and safety of sialoendoscopy as a promising new method for use in the diagnosis, removal, and postoperative management of sialolithiasis, sialadenitis, and other obstructive salivary gland diseases.