[Recurrent abcesses of the parotid gland in Sjögren's syndrome].

We report on a 48-year old female patient suffering from recurrent suppurative sialo-adenitis. Resections of both parotid and the left submandibular glands had to be performed due to abscesses. The woman had suffered from recurrent swelling of the salivary glands as well as xerostomia and xerophthalmia for years. Sjögren's syndrome was diagnosed with a delay of 17 years. The current case implicates recurrent bacterial suppurative sialo-adenitis caused by longstanding Sjögren's syndrome. In every case rheumatic disorders have to be considered in the differential diagnosis of recurrent suppurative parotitis. A detailed anamnesis, ultrasound, a differential hemogram, testing for rheumatoid factor and anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) as well as SS-A and SS-B ENAs can give early information years before Sjögren's syndrome becomes clinically apparent.