SALIVARY-GLAND ENDOSCOPY - A NEW TECHNIQUE FOR DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF SIALOLITHIASIS

Purpose: To describe the use of endoscopy as a technique for diagnosin g and treating sialolithiasis. Sialolithiasis is a common pathology of the major salivary glands, yet its accurate detection and treatment i s still intriguing. Patients and Methods: Eight cases of sialolithiasi s were treated with our new technique which combines endoscopy and tre atment. Two illustrative patients treated by this technique are descri bed in detail. Conclusion: Endoscopy, has gained popularity in most su rgical fields. We found that the available standard equipment used for TMJ arthroscopy can be used for exploration and extraction of calculi from the salivary ductal system.