Lithotripsy for Salivary Stones

The major salivary glands, parotid (front and behind the ear), submandibular (both sides of the jaw), and sublingual glands (beneath the tongue), are located near the mouth and throat. Their function is to secrete saliva into the mouth aiding in digestion, moistening the mouth, and protecting teeth from decay. There are also approximately 600 to 1,000 small glands, called minor salivary glands and they are 1-2mm in diameter. They coat all the mucosa surface around the mouth and throat. Sialolithiasis is the most common cause of ductal obstruction of the major salivary glands. Salivary stones or Sialolithiasis are developed when chemicals, debris, and calcium build-up from a small rock or "stone" and it becomes lodged or stuck on the salivary duct. The shape and size of these stones vary and may be asymptomatic. In some patients, these stones may present the following symptoms: pain, swelling, difficulty eating or swallowing, inflammation, and infection. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is a minimally invasive approach that uses high-energy shock waves generated outside the body to pulverize or crush the stones inside the body. ESWL consists of high-intensity shock waves that are produced electrically, and focused radiographically or ultrasonically on the treatment area. Intra-corporeal lithotripsy exploits the shock waves generated by a lithotripsy probe that is inserted into the salivary duct system under endoscopic guidance and directly reaches the stone's surface. More than one treatment may be required. <a id="