Utility of nasal endoscope-assisted intraoral method for extracting salivary stones at the submandibular gland duct junction

• Published in: JOURNAL OF JAPAN SOCIETY FOR HEAD AND NECK SURGERY Vol. 33; no. 3; pp. 341 - 346
• Main Authors: Matsumoto, Kohei, Yoshida, Haruo, Kumai, Yoshihiko, Tanaka, Fujinobu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: JAPAN SOCIETY FOR HEAD AND NECK SURGERY 2024; 特定非営利活動法人 日本頭頸部外科学会
• Subjects: endoscopic sinus surgery; salivary gland duct endoscopy; sialolithiasis; submandibular gland; submandibular gland resection; 内視鏡下鼻内術; 唾液腺管内視鏡; 唾石症; 顎下腺; 顎下腺摘出術
• ISSN: 1349-581X; 1884-474X
• DOI: 10.5106/jjshns.33.341

Submandibular gland excision is generally performed for submandibular gland junction salivary stones; however, in recent years, less invasive surgical options have been explored. In this study, we report eight cases of salivary stones at the hilar gland observed using a nasal endoscope and excised via the intraoral method. We evaluated the usefulness of the nasal endoscope-assisted intraoral method and compared it with the macroscopic intraoral method and submandibular gland extirpation. The nasal endoscope-assisted intraoral method is advantageous in terms of visualizing the deep part of the oral cavity floor in detail, which is a blind spot to the naked eye, and the surgeon and assistant can share a good view of the surgical field. The operation can be performed simultaneously by two operators, thus reducing the operation time as well as complications and improving educational effects. The nasal endoscope-assisted intraoral method is considered a useful surgical method worth performing in cases where it is difficult to introduce a salivary gland duct endoscopy.