Alongside the more well-known and widespread kidney stones, there are also salivary stones.
What are salivary stones caused by? «Salivary stones are formed in the salivary glands, especially in the submandibular ones which have more curvilinear salivary ducts – said Professor Lorenzo Pignataro, director of the Operational Unit of Otolaryngology and Cervico-Facial Surgery of the Irccs Fondazione Policlinico di Milano and professor of otolaryngology from the University of Milan -. The stones are made up of calciuma mineral present in saliva which, in situations that favor its stasis, such as dehydration or infections, tends to accumulate in the form of crystals.”
«The presence of a stone in the salivary gland duct can hinder the flow of saliva, especially in the presence of foods that make the mouth water and therefore stimulate the production of saliva. The result is salivary colic, which causes swelling and pain of the affected area. Sometimes salivary colic can also have a different origin, for example the consequence of inflammatory conditions that cause thick mucus or anatomical alterations of a salivary duct, but in 80 percent of cases it is linked to the presence of a stone in the duct salivate.”
How are salivary stones removed?
“Exist different strategies and it is necessary to choose the most suitable one in the individual case based on the size and position of the stone. For stones measuring between 4 and 7 millimeters, one is used endoscopic technique, there interventional sialendoscopy, usually performed under local anesthesia. In practice, the stone is removed using dedicated microforceps or it is crushed with the laser and then removed.”
«In the presence of larger stones Other techniques are used, usually performed under general anesthesia. For example, submandibular stones can be removed from the mouth, through a small incision of the oral floor and the subsequent use of sialendoscopy. In this way it is possible to remove the stone while preserving the functionality of the duct and salivary gland.”
In children it can be confused with “mumps”
Salivary stones are a condition that mainly affects adults, with a predilection for men. However, symptoms similar to those of salivary colic can also be observed in children, in whom stones are extremely rare.
«Generally these symptoms in children are due to recurrent juvenile mumps, a pathology characterized by periodic inflammation and swelling of one or (less often) both parotids, due to an increase in the lymphatic tissue of the mucous membranes of these glands. The consequence is a narrowing and inflammation of the salivary ducts which leads the parotid to swell mimicking mumps (mumps), but also salivary stones. In the absence of a response to medical therapy, which is based on anti-inflammatories and antibioticsrecurrent mumps can be resolved with endoscopies and cortisone washes”, says Professor Pignataro
