Sialoendoscopy

This chapter describes the common complications associated with interventional sialoendoscopy and endoscopically assisted intraoral extraductal surgeries and presents suggestions of how to avoid and manage these complications. The complications associated with sialoendoscopy stem from different origins than those seen in radical salivary gland surgery. The majority of radical surgery complications focus on neurological damage due to unintentional damage to facial nerves during surgery. The primary complications associated with sialoendoscopy are avulsion of the salivary duct, secondary strictures, gland swelling, salivary fistulas and perforations, traumatic ranulas, lingual nerve damage, bleeding and hematoma. Lingual nerve paresthesia is a rare complication of sialoendoscopic procedures for the submandibular gland. Bleeding is most common with sialoendoscopic procedures of the submandibular/sublingual gland. The baskets that are used for sialolith extraction are 0.3-0.8 mm thin and may dislodge if they are aggressively handled. Overall, sialoendoscopy-related complications are significantly less prevalent in comparison to traditional surgery of the salivary glands.