The management of sialolithiasis in 2 children through use of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy

The changing landscape of pediatric salivary gland stones: A half-century systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To assess the evidence for pediatric sialolithiasis, including its demographic characteristics, diagnosis, and demonstrate the shift in its treatment paradigm.

DESIGN

A systematic review of sources from the Medline and Embase databases was conducted from inception to Dec 4, 2020. Two researchers independently extracted data and assessed quality.

PATIENTS

Patients under the age of 18 with sialolithiasis were included.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Study design, cohort size, age, sex, symptoms, stone characteristics, diagnostic modality and intervention were collected data points.

RESULTS

Forty-one studies with 243 patients were included in the review, of which 40 were case reports or series. Most stones were found in the submandibular gland (n = 210, 85.4%) and were single stones (n = 101, 71.1%). Average stone size was 7.7 mm. The most common diagnostic imaging modality used was ultrasound (n = 73, 47.4%), shifting from plain radiograph which was favoured in earlier years. Similarly, open gland excision was historically preferred, but since 2000, sialoendoscopy comprised 40.5% of all treatment modalities and continues to increase in prevalence, up to 52.1% by 2020. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy was associated with the highest complication rate of 54.2%.

CONCLUSIONS

The pediatric sialolithiasis diagnostic and therapeutic landscape has changed with ultrasound replacing plain radiographs, and sialoendoscopy replacing submandibular gland excision. Further high-level quality evidence research is required to refine the indications, effectiveness, and safety of sialoendoscopy in pediatric sialolithiasis.

Effects of shock waves on oxidative stress in parotid gland of rat

This study was designed to investigate whether extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) exposure to parotid gland produces an oxidative stress in parotid glands of rats. Twelve male Wistar-albino rats, 6 months of age with an average body weight of 250-300 g, were divided randomly into two groups, each consisting of six rats. The animals in the first group did not receive any treatment and served as control. The left parotid glands of animals in group 2 (ESWL treated) received a thousand 18 kV shock waves after anesthetizing the rats with 50 mg/kg of ketamine. The animals in both groups were killed 72 hours after the ESWL treatment, and the parotid glands were harvested for the determination of lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA), antioxidant glutathione (GSH) levels and the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), GSH-Px and catalase (CAT). It was found that MDA level increased in parotid glands of rats after the ESWL treatment. The SOD, GSH-Px and CAT enzyme activities, and the level of antioxidant GSH decreased in parotid gland of rats after the ESWL treatment. It was concluded that short-term ESWL treatment caused an increase in the free radical production and a decrease in the antioxidant enzyme activity in parotid glands of ESWL-treated rats.

Ultrasound-guided basket retrieval of a submandibular duct stone in a child

We describe the successful use of ultrasound-guided retrieval of a submandibular stone with a basket, in a 13-year-old child.

Possible etiology of calculi formation in salivary glands: biophysical analysis of calculus

Sialolithiasis is one of the common diseases of the salivary glands. It was speculated that, in the process of calculi formation, degenerative substances are emitted by saliva and calcification then occurs around these substances, and finally calculi are formed. However, the exact mechanism of the formation of calculi is still unclear. In this study, we identify some possible etiologies of calculi formation in salivary glands through biophysical analysis. Calculi from 13 patients with submandibular sialolithiasis were investigated by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray microanalyzer, and electron diffraction. Transmission electron microscopic observation of calculi was performed in the submandibular gland (n = 13). In 3 of the 13 cases, a number of mitochondria-like structures and lysosomes were found near calcified materials. Scanning electron microscopic examination of these materials revealed that there were lamellar and concentric structures and that the degree of calcification was different among the calculi. X-ray microanalysis disclosed the component elements in the calculi to be Ca, P, S, Na, etc., and the main constituents were Ca and P. The calcium-to-phosphorus ratio was 1.60-1.89. Analysis of the area including mitochondria-like structures, lysosomes, and the fibrous structures by electron diffraction revealed the presence of hydroxyapatite and calcified materials. It is speculated that mitochondria and lysosomal bodies from the ductal system of the submandibular gland are an etiological source for calcification in the salivary gland.

Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy for salivary calculi in pediatric patients

Salivary gland lithiasis is uncommon in pediatric patients. Color Doppler ultrasonography (US) enables an accurate diagnosis of lithiasis to be made without exposure to the radiation of traditional imaging techniques. The development of minimally invasive techniques in the ENT field has made salivary lithotripsy a feasible alternative to traditional invasive surgery. The safety and efficacy of shock wave lithotripsy for salivary calculi were evaluated in pediatric patients. Seven children (5 males; age 4-15 years) with single calculi (mean diameter 4.4 mm) of the submandibular (n = 4) and parotid glands (n = 3) underwent extracorporeal electromagnetic shock wave lithotripsy (EESWL). In four cases the stone was intraductal (two submandibular and two parotideal) and in the remaining three cases it was intraparenchymal (two submandibular and one parotideal). In one case sedative anesthesia was performed. The mean number of therapeutic sessions was five. Patients were followed up clinically and with US for 6-72 months (mean 32 months). Complete disintegration of the calculi was achieved in five cases while in two cases a residual fragment < 2 mm in diameter was observed. None of the patients had recurrence of calculi in the treated gland. Mild self-limited adverse effects (pain, swelling of the gland, self-limiting bleeding from the duct, cutaneous petechiae) were observed in four cases. Our data suggest that EESWL is effective, safe and well tolerated; the minimal invasiveness of the technique suggests that EESWL should be used as the primary approach to salivary calculi in pediatric patients. The continuous US monitoring enables the efficacy of EESWL to be evaluated during both treatment and follow-up, with only slight discomfort for the pediatric patient.

Ultrasound-guided piezoelectric extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy of parotid gland calculi

PURPOSE

The introduction of piezoelectric extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) has changed therapy for salivary calculi. This method seems especially suitable for treating calculi in the parotid gland. The purpose of this study was to evaluate ESWL in patients with such calculi.

METHODS

From November 1990 to November 1999, all patients with sialolithiasis of the parotid gland were treated with piezoelectric ESWL. Three different lithotriptors were used over the 9-year study period. Results were analyzed according to both the patients' clinical status and follow-up sonograms.

RESULTS

In total, 42 patients (21 women, 21 men; mean age, 59 years) were treated with ESWL. The mean follow-up period for all patients was 63 months (range, 7-96 months). After ESWL had been performed, 71% of the patients were completely free of symptoms, and 21% had marked improvement of their symptoms. Sixty-seven percent were completely free of calculi, and 27% had a marked reduction in the size of their calculi. Adverse effects of ESWL included temporary glandular swelling (4 patients), blood-tinged salivary secretions (9 patients), petechiae on the skin surface (3 patients), and parotid abscess (1 patient).

CONCLUSIONS

ESWL is an outpatient procedure that can be performed without anesthesia and with scarcely any discomfort for patients. Conventional surgical procedures such as subtotal parotidectomy may be almost entirely replaced by ESWL because of the excellent treatment results and a very low rate of complications associated with ESWL. ESWL should be considered the treatment of choice for parotid calculi.