Objective: To show that sialoendoscopy is both a safe and effective alternative to traditional treatments for juvenile recurrent parotitis and sialolithiasis.
Design: Retrospective medical chart review.
Setting: Two major pediatric tertiary care centers.
Patients: Eighteen pediatric patients.
Interventions: A total of 33 sialendoscopic procedures on 27 glands.
Main outcome measures: Indications for surgery, age at onset of symptoms, age at procedure, sex, intraoperative findings, complications, recurrences, need for additional procedures, and follow-up interval.
Results: Juvenile recurrent parotitis was the most common indication for sialendoscopy (12 of 18) followed by sialolithiasis (4 of 18). Ten of 12 patients with juvenile recurrent parotitis were asymptomatic after 1 or 2 sialendoscopies (8 patients and 2 patients, respectively). There were 6 minor complications. Three patients ultimately required gland excision for disease management.
Conclusion: Sialoendscopy is safe and effective as a treatment for pediatric salivary gland disorders.