Inflammatory diseases of the salivary glands in infants and adolescents.
OBJECTIVE: To determine retrospectively the localization, etiology and treatment of inflammatory diseases of the salivary glands in infants and children and to evaluate treatment outcome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-five patients were treated in our institution in the period 1966-2000. The patients' records were evaluated and the results and side-effects of therapy were documented by a controlled follow-up study. RESULTS: Twenty-five of our patients were females (55.6%) and 20 males (44.4%). Inflammatory disorders figured most prominently in the group of patients between 12 and 16 years (n=14). Inflammation of the submandibular glands was the most common disease with 53.3% (n=24). The most frequent underlying cause in this subgroup of acute and chronic sialadenitis was sialolithiasis of the submandibular gland (40%). All patients were symptom-free in the long-term follow-up and all were symptom-free after surgical intervention. CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows that diseases of the salivary glands are rare among infants and children. Acute and chronic sialadenitis not responding to conservative treatment requires an appropriate surgical approach.