Sialendoscopy with holmium:YAG laser treatment for multiple large sialolithiases of the wharton duct: A case report and literature review

Sialolithiasis is defined as calcified stone(s) in the salivary duct or glands. Submandibular gland sialolithiasis is the most common (80 to 90%), followed by parotid gland sialolithiasis (5 to 15%). The typical clinical presentation is salivary gland swelling after eating. As the swelling persists, symptoms owing to local inflammation, such as pain and trismus, emerge. In severe cases, cellulitis and even abscess formation occur and subsequently lead to salivary gland atrophy or fistula formation if the sialolithiasis remains untreated. The most common treatment is complete excision of the affected gland together with the stone(s). In some cases, intraoral sialolithotomy is performed when the stone is solitary and easily palpable through the oral cavity. Sialendoscopy is increasingly performed because of its minimal invasiveness. The major limitation of endoscopic laser lithotripsy of the salivary glands is the size of the stone. Often, for a stone larger than 4 mm, multiple fragmentations of the stone into small pieces is necessary before the pieces can be removed by wire basket or grasping forceps. Recently, the holmium:YAG laser has been reported as quite effective in removing larger salivary gland stones. However, sialoendoscopic laser lithotripsy is a very time-consuming procedure and in most cases, when there are multiple large stones in a single gland, entire gland excision is recommended. This report describes a male patient diagnosed with multiple large stones in his left submandibular gland who was successfully treated under sialendoscopy with holmium:YAG laser lithotripsy.