[Submandibular gland excision. Clinical experience].

Submandibular gland excision is proposed for the treatment of both neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases. This study examines four cases of patients who underwent submandibular gland excision performed by the transcervical approach: two cases of non-neoplastic disease (one sialolithiasis and one chronic sialoadenitis not correctly assessed by sonography), one case treated for chronic sialoadenitis who developed a non-Hodgkin lymphoma involving the oral mucosa, and one case with a benign neoplastic lesion (pleomorphic adenoma). The symptoms, physical findings, and diagnosis on pathological examination are discussed in each case. On the basis of the literature, the indications for submandibular transcervical excision and the postoperative neurological complications are discussed, emphasising that only a detailed knowledge of the anatomy of the region can reduce the morbidity of this operation.