Sialadenosis

Description

Sialadenosis: 'non-inflammatory swelling of the salivary glands'

Usually the masses are bilateral, uniform, fluctuant and painless, unless the cause of the swelling is neoplastic.

A salivary mucocele (accumulation of saliva in sub-cutaneous tissue) or a sialolith (a stone in the salivary duct) is the usual cause of swelling.

It is most common in dogs

 

Clinical Signs

• Often non
• Retching/gulping sometimes seen
• Fever and pain seen if infected
• Occasionally dyspnea if obstructing the airway

 

Diagnosis

• Palpation
• Aspiration
  - viscous fluid (saliva)
  - often serosangiunous or golden
  - cytologically indifferent from saliva
  - stain for mucus with periodic acid-schiff
• Sialography (rarely performed)- used to detect side of origin if difficult to palpate
• Biopsy (rarely performed unless neoplasia suspected) -no significant histological abnormalities in the salivary gland biopsies.
  
  

Treatment

• Aspiration to temporarily relieve pressure and reduce size of mass
• Surgery for mucocele
  - remove salivary gland and duct
  - remove both sides if origin cannot be determined
  - marsupialisation of ranula (if one is present)
  - cervical drainage if removal is not anatomically possible
• Surgery for Sialolith
  - incise over duct and allow to heal by secondary intention

 

Prognosis

Very good if removal is complete

 

References

Blood, D.C. and Studdert, V. P. (1999) Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary (2nd Edition) Elsevier Science
Fossum, T. W. et. al. (2007) Small Animal Surgery (Third Edition) Mosby Elsevier
Merck & Co (2008) The Merck Veterinary Manual (Eighth Edition) Merial
Slatter, D.S. (2003) Textbook of Small Animal Surgery 3rd Ed