Gellrich D, Bichler M, Reichel CA, Schrötzlmair F, Zengel P. Salivary Gland Disorders in Children and Adolescents: A 15-year Experience.
Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2020;
24:e31-e37. [PMID:
31929831 PMCID:
PMC6952288 DOI:
10.1055/s-0039-1697993]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2018] [Accepted: 08/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction
Diseases of the salivary glands are rare in children and adolescents, with the exception of viral-induced infections.
Objective
To determine the clinical course of the disease, the diagnostic procedures, the treatment and the outcome of all children and adolescents affected with salivary gland diseases at our clinic over a period of 15 years.
Methods
A retrospective chart review including a long-term follow-up was conducted among 146 children and adolescents treated for salivary gland disorders from 2002 to 2016.
Results
Diagnosing acute sialadenitis was easily managed by all doctors regardless of their specialty. The diagnosis of sialolithiasis was rapidly made only by otorhinolaryngologists, whereas diagnosing juvenile recurrent parotitis imposed difficulties to doctors of all specialties – resulting in a significant delay between the first occurrence of symptoms and the correct diagnosis. The severity-adjusted treatment yielded improvements in all cases, and a full recovery of 75% of the cases of sialolithiasis, 73% of the cases of juvenile recurrent parotitis, and 100% of the cases of acute sialadenitis.
Conclusions
Due to their low prevalence and the lack of pathognomonic symptoms, salivary gland diseases in children and adolescents are often misdiagnosed, resulting in an unnecessarily long period of suffering despite a favorable outcome following the correct treatment.
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