The management of salivary gland swellings in Kuwait
Al-Naqeeb, N.; Meyza, J.; Ali, M.
Journal of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh 30(4): 227-230
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0035-8835 PMID: 4057137 Document Number: 261438
The paper presents the authors' experience of salivary gland swellings in Kuwait from 1973 to 1983. There were 209 patients; in 137 the parotid gland was involved, in 60 the submandibular gland, and in 12 patients the lesions were localised in minor salivary glands. 141 of the swellings were neoplasms, and 68 non-neoplastic conditions. Among the neoplasms 103 (73%) were benign and 38 (27%) malignant. The commonest type of benign neoplasma was pleomorphic adenoma (82 cases) and of malignant was adenoid cystic carcinoma (10). Sialolithiasis was found to be the main pathology of submandibular glands. Superficial parotidectomy (125 cases) was the basic operation for swellings of the parotid gland and whole gland excision for submandibular masses. Preservation of uninvolved parts of the facial nerve was attempted in low grade malignancies of parotid gland. Reversible facial nerve paresis occurred in 33.3% of patients after parotidectomy. All highly malignant neoplasms were irradiated postoperatively. Preoperative fine needle aspiration biopsy proved to be a valuable diagnostic tool in all types of major salivary gland masses but was always confirmed during operation by frozen section examination.