EXTRAORAL APPROACH FOR THE TREATMENT OF A LARGE PROPORTIONS SIALOLITHIASIS AFFECTING THE SUBMANDIBULAR GLAND

Sialolithiasis is defined as the development of stones within the parenchyma or ducts of the salivary glands, and it frequently affects the submandibular gland duct of male adults. We report a case of sialolithiasis occurring in the submandibular gland parenchyma and its surgical treatment. A 44-year-old male patient was referred for evaluation of a painful swelling in the submandibular region with 1-week evolution. The extraoral examination revealed a volume growth in the right submandibular region. Intraorally, there were no alterations. The panoramic radiography revealed a well-defined radiopaque lesion measuring approximately 2.5 cm. The clinical and radiographic findings established the sialolithiasis diagnosis. The treatment consisted of the excision of both sialolith and the right submandibular gland due to its location in the parenchyma, under general anesthesia, using an extraoral submandibular approach. The specimen was subsequently sent to the laboratory for histologic confirmation. The patient's recovery was uneventful.