Diagnosis and treatment of congenital dilatation of Stensen's duct

Idiopathic dilatation of the submandibular gland duct

Lithiasis and stenosis may cause salivary duct dilatation due to the increased pressure in the duct upstream of the obstruction. Idiopathic dilatations, also called megaducts, with no associated increase in pressure, have only been described in the parotid gland. The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of submandibular duct dilatation unrelated to lithiasis, stenosis, or an imperforate duct, to report the existence of submandibular megaducts. This retrospective single-centre study included patients treated at La Conception University Hospital, Marseille, France, between 2007 and 2019. Patients with submandibular duct dilatation of ≥4 mm confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging sialography (sialo-MRI), who also underwent sialendoscopy to identify any associated stenosis, were included. Patients with lithiasis, stenosis, an imperforate ostium, or a history of trauma or surgery to the floor of the mouth were excluded. Five patients (three female, two male) aged 30-76 years with idiopathic duct dilatations in nine submandibular glands were included. The most commonly reported symptoms were submandibular swelling, pruritus, and discomfort, mostly outside mealtimes. Recurrence of symptoms after treatment was frequent. This study is novel in describing submandibular megaducts as opposed to dilatation caused by high pressure associated with stenosis, with confirmation by sialo-MRI and sialendoscopy.

Stensen duct dilation: Case series of minimally invasive treatment

Stensen's duct dilation is a rare condition characterized by a global or partial idiopathic dilation of the Stensen duct. Affected individuals usually show either aesthetically compromised features, such as a tubular-shaped swelling in the cheek, or with mildly painful inflammatory episodes. Three women between ages 61 and 67 years were diagnosed with Stensen duct dilation after sialo-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). They were treated with botulinum toxin A (BTX-A). Our preliminary results suggest that BTX-A was efficient as a suspensive treatment. BTX-A should remain a first-line treatment of the early silent symptoms of Stensen duct dilation, such as swelling and aesthetic issues. The use of BTX-A avoids more serious procedures and further complications.

Intraparotid ductal ectasia: rare cause of parotid swelling

A 41-year-old patient was hospitalised for a chronic right parotid mass. A cervical ultrasound revealed a cystic mass of the parotid. Cervical MRI found a ductal ectasia of the parotid and submandibular glands associated with a retention cyst of the right parotid. He had a right total parotidectomy. Histopathological examination of the lesion revealed a multilocular cystic mass with a diffuse glandular ectasia of salivary ducts. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course without any recurrence of symptoms.

Congenital dilatation of Stensen's duct in siblings

Congenital dilatation of the Stensen's duct is an extremely rare disease, which may have a hereditary background. However, there are no reports about the familial occurrence of congenital Stensen's duct dilatation. Herein, we present the first case of congenital dilatation of Stensen's duct in siblings. Therefore, we suggest that congenital dilatation of the Stensen's duct is an extremely rare hereditary disorder.

Salivary gland disorders

Patients with salivary gland disease present with certain objective and/or subjective signs. An accurate diagnosis for these patients requires a range of techniques that includes the organized integration of information derived from their history, clinical examination, imaging, serology, and histopathology. This article highlights the signs and symptoms of the salivary gland disorders seen in the Salivary Gland Center, and emphasizes the methodology used to achieve a definitive diagnosis and therapy.

"Mustache sign" due to Stensen duct dilation

An 80-year-old woman presented with a 5-year history of painless swellings of the left and right cheeks. The degree of swelling did not change with mastication. On palpation, the cheeks were soft, well defined, and movable. Compression and massage of the swollen areas caused increased salivary discharge from the orifices of the Stensen ducts. Three-dimensional computed tomography showed well-bordered, 15- to 20-mm wide, bilateral, tube-like dilatations of the ducts. The ductal origin of the swellings was explained to the patient, but she refused invasive procedures, thus no sialogram or surgical procedure was performed. We describe the clinical and radiographic features of a case of bilateral, congenital Stensen duct dilatation with bilateral swelling of the cheeks.