Paculiarities of Clinical Presentation, Diagnosis, and Treatment for Injuries of the Large Salivary Glands

Background. Salivary gland lesions of various genesis are quite widespread among patients, tumorous processes involving these organs make up 2.2-3.7% of the total number of head and neck tumors, 78-82% of salivary gland tumor cases, and sialoadenitis, which makes 3.8-6.7% of the total number of inflammatory diseases of maxillofacial organs. The initial diagnostic imaging for parotid gland tumors typically involves an ultrasound examination; however, it does not definitively indicate the need for surgical intervention. While computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging are not obligatory elements of patient assessment, they may be recommended in specific instances to facilitate accurate treatment planning. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy can serve as an obligatory diagnostic test, irrespective of whether an ultrasound examination has been conducted, particularly when there are suspicions of atypical presentations of polymorphic adenoma. Incisional biopsy is contraindicated, as it frequently leads to neoplastic implantation, thereby increasing the risk of recurrence of polymorphic adenomas and malignant neoplasms. The purpose of the study is to conduct a comparative analysis of the data of clinical examinations, laboratory tests, surgical treatment, complications and postoperative results, taking into account the prevalence of tumor and inflammatory processes of the parotid salivary glands. Material and methods. We have conducted a retrospective study of the medical histories of 174 patients operated on at the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery of the “Poltava Regional Clinical Hospital named after M.V. Sklifosovsky”. Results. According to our data, pleomorphic adenoma was the most common benign tumor, and mucoepidermoid carcinoma was the most frequently detected malignant tumor. Regarding initial presentations, the primary observation was a tumor mass in 96.1% of all cases. Additional findings included incidental lesions detected during imaging studies and localized pain or inflammation. Isolated occurrences of inadvertent lesions during imaging of neoplasms have also been documented. Palpation was recognized as an excellent clinical parameter for topographic localization and classification of lesions for malignancy, with proven value in the specimen due to its high sensitivity for demonstrating nodules in the superficial lobe (97.1%) and high specificity for nodules in the deep lobe. We established that the average evolution time of benign tumors was approximately three times longer than that of malignant tumors. These data are consistent with literature data that malignant tumors are more aggressive and have a rapid evolution, while benign, in turn, have an insidious onset and slow growth. During intraoperative examination, high specificity is desirable because it can reliably exclude malignancy, preventing unnecessary radical interventions. Another intervention that we have analyzed in the treatment of benign tumors is dermal parotidectomy, which showed a recurrence rate similar to superficial parotidectomy, although with a lower rate of serious complications (12.4% less on average). It has been found that the choice of this intervention is mainly related to the incidence of recurrence, and in 51-56% of cases in patients with a previous fine-needle aspiration biopsy. Conclusion. According to this study, taking into account the experience of our clinic, the presence and visualization of a single nodule in the parotid area is the main clinical manifestation of parotid gland cancer. Pleomorphic adenoma is the most common histological type, and facial nerve-sparing subtotal parotidectomy is the best treatment for these patients.