[A proposal for the classification of chronic sialadenitis of the major salivary glands with current diagnostic and treatment schedule].

UNLABELLED: Approximately 5% of patients visit the ENT doctors with major salivary gland complaints. Chronic sialadenitis is one of the major disorders that can cause salivary hypofunction and correct diagnosis and management is essential for its recovery. The classification of this pathological condition have changed in the past eight decades and nowadays was revised and modified, for new diagnostic (high resolution ultrasonography, CT and MR sialography and sonoelastography) and therapeutic methods (sialoendoscopy) were introduced.

THE AIM OF THE STUDY: was to revive the past classifications of chronic inflammatory diseases of the major salivary glands and present the current one with implications for diagnostic and treatment schedule.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: 20 patients with parotid and 44 with submandibular gland sialadenitis were treated in Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Department Poznań Medical University in the years 2007-2010. Two periods of time: 2007-8 and 2009-10 were compared, the turn point was December 2008, when sialoendoscopy was introduced.

RESULTS: 25 out of 50 patients with parotid and 73 out of 95 with submandibular sialadenitis suffered from lithiasis. Surgical evacuation of the stone was performed in 10 cases in 2007-08, and in 4 between 2009 and 10. In this last period 94 sialoendoskopies was performed, in this number in case 38 submandibular and 7 parotid lithiasis. Stensens duct stenosis was diagnosed in 7 and Wharton duct in 12 patients. To conclude, authors underline that the prompt diagnosis is indispensible for the proper further treatment. The recommended treatment of chronic and obstructive sialadenitis obtains the novel technique, sialoendoscopy.