Gastrointestinal Pathology - Salivary Gland Flashcards
A patient presents with a bilateral inflammation of his parotid glands. What disease caused it? What other symptoms might he have? What enzyme might be increased?
Infection with mumps virus. MOPS - Orchitis (risk of sterility in teenagers) , pancreatitis and aseptic meningitis. Serum amylase is increased due to salivary gland or pancreatic involvement.
What kinds of organs are salivary glands and what are they divided into?
Salivary glands are exocrine glands that secrete saliva. Divided into major (parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands) and minor glands (hundreds in oral mucosa)
A patient comes in with complaints of painful swelling and reddened skin. On PE, you notice he has inflammation of his salivary gland. What is usually causing it? What organism is involved? Is it unilateral?
He has sialadentitis which is inflammation of the salivary glands. Most commonly due to an obstructing stone leading to Staphylococcus aureus infection UNILATERALLY.
You are doing a PE on a patient and find a mobile, painless, circumscribed mass at the angle of the jaw. What could it be? Where does it arise? Is it benign? What are the chances of it recurring? Can it transform into a carcinoma? What nerve can it affect?
It is pleomorphic adenoma which is a benign tumor composed of stromal and epithelial tissue. Usually arises in the parotid gland. High rate of recurrence and hard to remove completely because there is a lot of them. Rarely may transfer into a carcinoma. Facial nerve since it passes through the parotid.
What is a Warthin tumor? Where does it arise?
Benign cystic tumor with abundant lymphocytes and germinal centers. Almost always arises in the parotid.
What is a mucoepidermoid carcinoma? Where does it usually arise and what nerve does it involve?
Malignant tumor composed of mucinous and squamous cells; most common malignant tumor of the salivary gland. Usually arises in the parotid. Commonly involves the facial nerve.
