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Salivary Gland Disease
🧴 Xerostomia (Dry Mouth)
- Clinical: Dry mouth due to ↓ saliva. Causes include Sjögren’s syndrome, diabetes, drugs 💊 (antidepressants, antihistamines), anxiety, aging, dehydration, mouth breathing. Leads to impaired speech 🗣️, swallowing, ↑ dental caries.
- Investigations: Salivary flow tests, bloods (autoimmune markers, glucose), oral exam (dryness, caries).
- Management: Hydration 💧, review medications, oral fluids & meticulous oral hygiene 🪥.
🤒 Parotitis
- Clinical: Acute swelling, warmth, tenderness of parotid gland. Viral (mumps 🦠) in children, bacterial (Staph/Strep) in elderly. May cause bad taste & halitosis.
- Investigations: CBC + inflammatory markers, culture of discharge, ultrasound (abscess?).
- Management: Antibiotics if bacterial 💊, pain relief (NSAIDs), good oral hygiene 🪥.
🪨 Salivary Duct Calculi
- Clinical: Recurrent swelling + pain before/during meals 🍽️ (saliva build-up).
- Investigations: Ultrasound / CT, sialography if needed.
- Management: Sialendoscopy for stone removal, hydration 💧 + warm compresses.
🎭 Salivary Gland Tumours
- Clinical: 70% benign (pleomorphic adenoma most common). ⚠️ Small gland tumours carry higher malignant risk. Facial nerve palsy → suspect malignancy.
- Investigations: Ultrasound / MRI, FNA, CT for staging if malignancy suspected.
- Management: Surgical excision (e.g. parotidectomy), radiotherapy for malignancy, follow-up for recurrence 🔄.
🌸 Pleomorphic Adenoma
- Clinical: Benign, most common parotid tumour. Slowly enlarging, firm, non-tender lump.
- Investigations: US/MRI for site & size, FNA or biopsy.
- Management: Superficial parotidectomy (preserve facial nerve 😊), long-term follow-up.
⚠️ Malignant Tumours
- Clinical: Includes mucoepidermoid carcinoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, SCC. Features: pain, rapid growth, facial nerve palsy 😟.
- Investigations: MRI/CT for staging, FNA or biopsy, PET scan if metastasis suspected.
- Management: Radical surgery (e.g. radical parotidectomy), post-op radiotherapy ☢️, oncology follow-up 🧑⚕️.
| The content on this website is provided for educational and informational purposes only to support exam preparation (e.g., MLA, MRCP, USMLE) and learning. This is NOT medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional guidance. It does not replace consultation with a qualified healthcare professional, official guidelines (e.g., NICE, GMC, BNF), or supervised clinical practice. Always verify information with current, authoritative sources. Makindo and its contributors accept no liability for any reliance on this content, including errors, omissions, or any resulting harm, loss, or consequences. By using this site, you agree to these terms. |
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