Clinical Outcomes of Salivary Gland Tumor Surgery: A 10-year-chart View

Abstract

Salivary gland tumors constitute about 3% of all head and neck tumors. We present a series of 104 cases of various salivary gland pathologies and the various modalities of surgeries done between January 2007 and July 2017. Total 104 patients with salivary gland tumors were included in this study, of which 76 patients had parotid tumors and 28 were submandibular gland tumors. The presence or absence of coexisting salivary gland stones, involvement or noninvolvement of ducts were all considered. Preoperatively, patients underwent fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and imaging studies along with routine blood investigations. All patients underwent surgery and subsequent histopathological examination (HPE). The preoperative FNAC and postoperative HPE were not correlating in 6.5% of parotid tumors and in 3.5% of submandibular gland tumor. Anomalies in the fasciovenous planes were seen in 3% of the patients, which caused intraoperative difficulties. Postoperatively, five patients had salivary leak and three patients had neuropraxia, which was managed conservatively and the patients recovered subsequently between 3 months and 6 months postoperatively. Surgery for salivary gland tumors has its own threats due to the close proximity of nerve, vessels, and ducts. Postoperative complications like nerve palsy is seen more common in malignant tumors in both parotid and submandibular gland tumors. A proper methodical assessment and awareness of the various anatomical anomalies intraoperatively may give good surgical outcomes in surgeries of salivary gland tumors. In our study, various anomalies were encountered and dealt appropriately. Vemuru T, Mohanty S, Manimaran V, et al. Clinical Outcomes of Salivary Gland Tumor Surgery: A 10-year-chart View. Int J Head Neck Surg 2021;12(1):11–14.