Salivary Gland Treatment & Procedures
A parotidectomy is the surgical excision (removal) of the parotid gland, the major and largest of the salivary glands. The procedure is most typically performed due to neoplasms (tumors), which are growths of rapidly and abnormally dividing cells. They can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). If a tumor is found, it is typically recommended to remove due to the small risk of malignant transformation.
Submandibular gland removal is surgery to take out a saliva gland below the lower jaw. A saliva duct is a tube that carries saliva from the gland into the mouth. The gland may have to be removed because of infection, a tumor, or a blocked saliva duct.
Salivary stone removal is typically performed in office under local anesthesia. It involves excising calcium deposits (stones) from the salivary ducts. It is quite well tolerated however medical therapy is typically employed prior to proceeding with this procedure.
Minor salivary glands are numerous with our oral cavity and more abundant in the lip. This procedure is specifically performed to confirm the diagnosis of Sjogren’s Syndrome. It entails making a small incision into the lower lip and removal of several small glands. This does not affect general salivary flow as we have thousands of these glands. This is performed in office, under local anesthesia.