Endoscopic surgery of the salivary glands.

Obstructive sialadenitis, with or without sialolithiasis, represents the most common inflammatory disorder of the major salivary glands, and sialolithiasis is one of the major causes of sialadenitis. Calculi in the salivary glands can be found in 1.2% of the general population. Other common causes of salivary gland obstruction are ductal strictures and kinks. The diagnosis of these problems has been traditionally hampered by the limitations of standard imaging techniques. Satisfactory management depends on the surgeon's ability to reach a precise anatomic diagnosis and to accurately locate the obstruction.