Management of obstructive pathology of the salivary glands in elderly patients: a preliminary study

• Published in: Journal of laryngology and otology Vol. 136; no. 1; pp. 60 - 63
• Main Authors: Familiari, M, Ferrario, F, Giordano, L, Di Santo, D, Indelicato, P, Battista, R A, Bussi, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.01.2022
• Subjects: Age; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anesthesia; Anesthesia, Local; Antibiotics; Comorbidity; Complications; Edema; Endoscopy; Exocrine glands; Female; General anesthesia; Humans; Local anesthesia; Main Articles; Male; Mortality; Older people; Pathology; Patients; Population; Postoperative; Retrospective Studies; Salivary gland; Salivary Gland Diseases - surgery; Salivary Glands - surgery; Surgery; Surgical outcomes; Ultrasonic imaging; Germany; Sialadenitis; Salivary Glands; Frail Elderly; Endoscopy; Calculi
• ISSN: 0022-2151; 1748-5460
• DOI: 10.1017/S0022215121003881

Obstructive pathology is a benign condition of the salivary glands that can affect elderly and co-morbid people. Sialoendoscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure with a success rate comparable to standard sialoadenectomy and has the advantage that it can be performed under local anaesthesia. This study aimed to assess sialoendoscopy benefits in elderly patients unfit for general anaesthesia. A group of elderly patients (aged 65 years or more) undergoing sialoendoscopy under local anaesthesia were evaluated. Age, co-morbidities, surgical time, hospital stay, and complication and recurrence rates were assessed. Nineteen sialoendoscopies were performed in 18 elderly patients with a mean age of 69.7 ± 5.6 years, with some of them suffering from multiple co-morbidities. Surgery was successful in 16 patients, while surgery was unsuccessful in 2 patients because of intraglandular stones. The average surgical duration was 54.5 ± 30.1 minutes, and all patients were discharged 2-3 hours after surgery. No post-operative complications were found and only one patient had recurrence during follow up. Sialoendoscopy under local anaesthesia is a safe and effective procedure in elderly patients who are more prone to complications.