ABSTRACT
To evaluate the application and outcome of minimally invasive techniques in the management of salivary stones based on data from five independent European centres. Minimally invasive techniques investigated were extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, retrieval by basket or micro-forceps and gland-preserving surgery. Prospective longitudinal study of patients treated for salivary stone disease at five centres using minimally invasive techniques. Centres involved in the study were Ashkelon, Erlangen, London, Milan, and Paris. The study period was from 1990 to 2004 inclusive. All patients with symptomatic disease, or at least one episode of purulent sialoadenitis, with no recovery after 3 months of conservative therapy and not amenable to simple intraoral release were included in the study. All patients were treated by minimally invasive techniques, with surgical removal of the submandibular or parotid gland being a last resort. The main limitation of the study is the relatively short follow-up with a median of “over 5 years.”.
