[Sialoendoscopy: a new alternative for the treatment of salivary pathology. Our experience].

OBJECTIVES

Sialoendoscopy is a procedure used to visualize the salivary ducts and their pathology. It can be used either as a diagnostic method to rule out inflammatory processes in the parotid and submandibular glands (diagnostic sialoendoscopy) or to treat pathological areas (stenosis, extract foreign bodies or sialolithiasis) through the use of appropriate instruments (interventionist sialoendoscopy). We attempt to prove a declining rate of salivary gland excision.

PATIENTS AND METHOD: Sialoendoscopy was performed in 8 patients.

RESULTS

Of these, 50 % of patients were diagnosed as having sialolithiasis and the other 50 % had chronic sialoadenitis. In patients with sialolithiasis, sialoendoscopy allowed the extraction of the calculus in two patients (50 %). In the remainder, sialoendoscopy provided confirmation of the diagnosis in all cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Sialoendoscopy is a new technique for use in the diagnosis, treatment and post-operative management of sialolithiasis, sialoadenitis and other salivary gland pathologies.