Salivary gland disease Flashcards
How do we examine the salivary glands
- Inspect from the front side and behind the patient
2. Palpate the salivary glands
What is the minor salivary gland innervated by
Greater petrosal nerve which is a branch of cranial nerve VII
Chorda tympani which is a branch of cranial nerve VII
What is the submandibular gland innervated by
Chorda tympani which is a branch of cranial nerve VII
What is the sublingual gland innervated by
Chorda tympani which is a branch of cranial nerve VII
What is the parotid gland innervated by
Lesser petrosal nerve which is a branch of cranial nerve IX
What is the greater petrosal nerve a branch of
Cranial nerve VII
What is the Chords tympani nerve a branch of
Cranial nerve VII
What is the lesser petrosal nerve a branch of
Cranial nerve IX
How many minor salivary glands are present in the oral mucosa
Approximately 450
Where are minor salivary glands found
They are distributed throughout the mucosa, including lips, cheeks, palates, floor of mouth and retro molar pad
What is saliva made up of
- 4% water
0. 6% minerals and proteins
State a normal saliva flow rate in a non stimulated patient
0.3-0.4 ml/min
State a normal saliva flow rate in a stimulated patient
4-5 ml/min
What are the 3 categories minerals and proteins in saliva fall under
- Inorganic
- Organic
- Macromolecules
What is the inorganic part of saliva made up of
- Sodium
- Potassium
- Chloride
- Bicarbonate
- Hydrogen
- iodine
- Floruide
- Thiocynate
- Calcium phosphate
What is the organic part of saliva made up of
- Urea
- Uric acid
- Amino acid
- Glucose
- Lactate
- Fatty acids
Name the macromolecules found in saliva
- serum proteins,
- glycoproteins, peroxidases,
- amylase,
- lysozyme,
- lipase,
- kallikrein,
- IgA/G/M,
- lipids,
- blood group substances,
- hormones and carbohydrates
How can we investigate for salivary gland disease
- Sialometry
- Plane film radiography
- Ultrasoudns
- Bloods
- MRIs
- Biopsies
When is it indicated to take a venous blood sample
In reports of dry mouth
What does a sjogrens screen involve
- FBC
- U&E and LFTs
- HbA1C
- Serum ACE levels
- ANA screen
- Serum immunoglobulins and electrophoresis
- Hepatitis C serology and HIV serology if clinically suspicious
What is ultrasonography
The use of high frequency sound ways
What can we identify through ultrasonography
- Solid lesions
- Cysts
- Textural changes in Sjogren’s
What can radiographs of salivary glands identify
Radio opaque calculi
What is retrograde sialogrpahy
A radiographie examination of the ductal system using radio iodide as a contrast medium
what can retrograde sialogrpahy help us identify
- Strictures
- Sialectasia (ductal dilatation)
- Filling defects
- Localised, e.g. calculi, mucus plugs
- Punctate sialectasis – typical of Sjögren’s Syndrome
What are MRIs of salivary gables good at showing
Better demonstrate soft tissue detail
How do we take a biopsy of minor salivary glands
Excisional done from an intra oral approach
How do we take a biopsy of major salivary glands
Incisional and can be done intra or extra orally
How do we describe salivary gland swellings
- Localised or generalised
- Unilateral or bilateral
- Persistent or transient
How do we describe salivary glands
- Swellings
- Pain
- Discharge
- Decreased saliva
- Increased saliva
List salivary gland disease we need to know
- Obstructive Salivary gland disease
- Xerostomia
- Sialorrhoea
- Sarcoidosis/HIV/GvHD related salivary gland disease
- Cancers
- Benign neoplasias e.g. pleomorphic adenoma and Warthin’s tumour
- Benign cysts/pseudocysts
- Acute/chronic sialadenitis
- Frey ’s syndrome
- Developmental abnormalities e.g. atresia or hypoplasia
- Primary and Secondary Sjogren’s syndrome
What is obstructive salivary gland disease due to
Calculi, strictures or infections
What does sialadenitis mean
Inflammation of the salivary glands
What does sialadenitis need to be further classified into
Infective or obstructive
Name the most common cause of obstructive
sialadenitis
What is sialadenitis described as
hard sludge
What are strictures caused by
Nearly always acquired usually following trauma rot duct following fibrosis
How can localised strictures be treated
Balloon dilation
What is acute obstruction caused by
Usually calculus or mucous plug
What can acute obstruction lead to
If chronic damage occurs gland can become more and more damaged and produce less saliva
What is obstructive sialadenitis caused by
Usually calculus or mucous plug
What is obstructive sialadenitis characterised as
Recurrent pre prandial painful swelling of a major salivary gland
How do we treat asymptomatic calculi
Leave it alone
How do we treat symptomatic calculi
If small and proximal: remove via incision of the duct and relaxing the stone
If large and more distal: Can be retrieved endoscopically, via lithotripsy
What are the risk associated with removal of the submandibular gland
- Damage to marginal mandibular nerve
- Damage to lingual nerve
- Damage to hypoglossal nerve
What can damage to the marginal mandibular nerve lead to
Diminished motor innervation of muscles that depress and evert the muscles that elevate the lower lip
What can damage to the lingual nerve lead to
Leads to diminished somatic sensory sensations to the lingual tissue3
What can damage to the hypoglossal nerve lead to
Leads to diminished motor function to tongue causing tongue to deviate to affected site
What are the risk associated with removal of the parotid gland
Damage to the facial nerve
What can damage to the facial nerve lead to
Unilateral facial weakness of all branches
What is xerostomia
technically means the subjective perception of dry mouth