Evaluation of the rate of residual polystomatic sublingual acinar tissue without tunneling dorsal to the digastricus using a ventral or ventrolateral approach in cats.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the rate of residual polystomatic sublingual acinar tissue if tunneling dorsal to the digastricus muscle and dissection to the sublingual caruncle is not performed during mandibular-sublingual sialadenectomy in cats.

STUDY

DESIGN

Cadaveric study.

SAMPLE POPULATION: A total of 10 feline cadavers.

METHODS

Mandibular-sublingual sialadenectomy was performed bilaterally in 10 feline cadavers using a ventral or ventrolateral approach in a randomized fashion. Salivary ducts were dissected as far rostral as possible with retraction of the masseter and digastricus muscles until they traveled dorsal to the digastricus muscle, where a ligature was applied. The position of the lingual nerve was identified. Following tunneling, dissection continued rostrally to the sublingual oral mucosa, where ducts were excised. Histology of dissected tissue rostral to the ligature was performed.

RESULTS

Histology identified evidence of salivary acinar tissue in 13/19 (68.4%) specimens - 7/10 (70.0%) of specimens obtained with the ventral approach and 6/9 (66.7%) of those obtained with the ventrolateral approach (p > .99). In all cases, the lingual nerve was identified with retraction of the masseter and digastricus muscles without tunneling.

CONCLUSION

Tunneling dorsal to the digastricus muscle exposed additional polystomatic salivary acinar tissue in most cases.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Tunneling dorsal to the digastricus via a ventral or ventrolateral approach may decrease the rate of polystomatic sublingual acinar tissue being left in situ in clinical cases.