Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gvvz8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T13:27:49.574Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Potential airway compromise secondary to impacted Wharton's duct calculus: a noteworthy phenomenon

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 July 2015

M Van ,
R Gohil  and
Q Gardiner
M Van
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, Scotland, UK
R Gohil*
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, Scotland, UK
Q Gardiner
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, Scotland, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Dr R Gohil, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee DD1 9SY, Scotland, UK E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objectives:

This case report describes a patient who suffered an acute, severe complication of unilateral submandibular sialolithiasis, the disease process and management of these patients.

Case report:

A 70-year-old woman was under investigation for a recurrent, painful right submandibular swelling and subsequently presented with an acute exacerbation. She exhibited symptoms of acute submandibular sialadenitis, and also reported breathing difficulty and a change in voice quality. Computed tomography imaging showed that this was caused by a submandibular gland duct sialolith, with inflammation extending to the ipsilateral supraglottis. She was treated medically and the stone was removed when the inflammation had stabilised.

Conclusion:

This case highlights the need to thoroughly assess patients with neck swellings, especially when symptoms are atypical, to avoid life-threatening complications.

Keywords

Diagnoses and ExaminationsAirway ObstructionSubmandibular Duct CalculiSialolithiasisCT Scan, X-ray
Type
Clinical Records
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 129 , Issue 7 , July 2015 , pp. 721 - 724
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1Khilanani, U, Khatib, R. Acute epiglottitis in adults. Am J Med Sci 1984;287:65–70CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2Carey, MJ. Epiglottitis in adults. Am J Emerg Med 1996;14:421–4CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3Meulemans, J, Hens, G, Vander Poorten, V. Current management of obstructive sialadenitis. Journal of ENT Masterclass 2012;5:65–9Google Scholar
4Marchal, F, Dulguerov, P, Becker, M, Barki, G, Disant, F, Lehman, W. Specificity of parotid sialendoscopy. Laryngoscope 2001;111:264–71CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5Lustmann, J, Regev, E, Melamed, Y. Sialolithiasis. A survey on 245 patients and a review of the literature. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg 1990;19:135–8CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6Bodner, L. Salivary gland calculi: diagnostic imaging and surgical management. Compendium 1993;14:572,574–6,588 passim; quiz 586Google ScholarPubMed
7Harrison, JD. Causes, natural history and incidence of salivary stones and obstructions. Otolaryngol Clin North Am 2009;42:927–47CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8Capaccio, P, Torretta, S, Ottavian, F, Sambataro, G, Pignataro, L. Modern management of obstructive salivary diseases. Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital 2007;27:161–72Google ScholarPubMed
9Marchal, F, Kurt, AM, Dulguerov, P, Becker, M, Oedman, M, Lehmann, W. Histopathology of submandibular glands removed for Sialolithiasis. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 2001;110:464–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10Rana, RS, Moonis, G. Head and neck infection and inflammation. Radiol Clin North Am 2011;49:165–82CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11von Ludwig, WF. Über eine in neuerer Zeit wiederholt hier vorgekommene Form von Halsentzündung. Medicinisches Correspondenzblatt des Württembergischen ärztlichen Vereins 1836;6:21–5Google Scholar
12Bansal, A, Miskoff, J, Lis, RJ. Otolaryngologic critical care. Crit Care Clin 2003;19:55–72CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13Ellis, H, Mahadevan, V. Clinical Anatomy: Applied Anatomy for Students and Junior Doctors. 13th edn.Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons, 2013Google Scholar