Salivary Gland Disorders
Sialolithiasis
aka Salivary duct stone
Calcified concretion within salivary gland ducts; most common disease of salivary glands.
§ figuresFigures (4)
Fig. 1Salivary gland stone (Sialolithiasis) and the operation marks
“Salivary gland stone removed” · Peternickson · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Fig. 2Sialolithiasis, Salivary stones
“Sialolithiasis IMG 2368” · Milorad Dimic MD · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Verified open-access images only, reproduced for education under their stated licences · no AI-generated or illustrative artwork · Sialolithiasis figures pending faculty review.
§ overviewOverview
Calcified concretion within salivary gland ducts; most common disease of salivary glands.
§ etiologyEtiology
- 01Salivary stasis + calcium precipitation around organic nidus
§ epidemiologyEpidemiology
Submandibular 80–90% (Wharton's duct), parotid 10–20%, sublingual < 1%.
§ clinicalClinical Features
- 01Meal-time swelling and pain ('sialoadenitis alimentaria')
- 02Palpable stone in duct
- 03Purulent discharge if infected
§ radiographicRadiographic Features
- 01Mandibular occlusal — Wharton's duct stones
- 02Panoramic — submandibular gland stones
- 0380% of submandibular stones are radiopaque
§ ctCT Findings
- 01Non-contrast CT: gold standard for stone localisation
§ treatmentTreatment
- 01Distal stones — intra-oral duct slitting (sialodochoplasty)
- 02Small stones (< 4 mm) — sialendoscopy ± lithotripsy
- 03Chronic hilar/parenchymal stones — gland excision
§ complicationsComplications
- 01Recurrent sialadenitis
- 02Ductal stricture
- 03Gland atrophy
§ prognosisPrognosis
Excellent with appropriate management.
§ evidenceReferences & Evidence
Current Classification
WHO Classification of Tumours Online — Head and Neck
IARC / WHO · 2022
Continuously updated online edition of the WHO head and neck tumour classification.
Evidence summary
Highest level of evidence linked to this page: WHO / Official Classification.
- L1 · Classification — 1
- L3 · Systematic review — 1
- L6 · Textbook — 3
1 linked source was published from 2024 onwards. Where guidance is limited or contested, rely on the higher-level sources above rather than this summary. Educational use only — not a substitute for clinical judgement.
Content last reviewed
September 2026
Evidence last reviewed
September 2026
Next scheduled review
September 2027
Review status
EVIDENCE REVIEWED
Search latest PubMed evidence
Last literature search: 7 September 2026
Current Classification
IARC / WHO. IARC · 2022
Continuously updated online edition of the WHO head and neck tumour classification.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Kallas-Silva L, Azevedo MFD, de Matos FCM et al.. Brazilian journal of otorhinolaryngology · 2023 · 89(5):101293
Comprehensive review of sialendoscopy for obstructive and inflammatory major salivary gland disease.
Histopathology References
Barnes L. CRC Press · 2008
Detailed histopathological reference for head and neck diagnostic criteria.
Textbook References
Neville BW, Damm DD, Allen CM et al.. Elsevier · 2024
Standard reference textbook of oral and maxillofacial pathology used throughout this atlas.
Rajendran R, Sivapathasundharam B. Elsevier · 2020
Undergraduate and postgraduate oral pathology textbook widely used in BDS and FCPS curricula.
Draft — pending faculty review. Educational use only; verify against current guidelines and primary sources before clinical application.