Pain and swelling after sialography: is it a significant problem?
OBJECTIVE
This study investigated the incidence of pain and swelling after sialography and quantified the duration and severity of these symptoms.


METHODS
Sialography was performed on 92 patients who were then given a questionnaire to complete. Seventy-two questionnaires were returned and completed in a satisfactory manner. The patients were asked to assess pain and swelling before and after the sialogram was performed by using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Comparisons between postsialographic measurements and baseline measures were carried out by using Friedman repeated measures analysis of variance on ranks.


RESULTS
VAS scores increased significantly for both pain and swelling 1 hour after the sialogram (T1). The scores for swelling returned to baseline levels after 1 day (T2). The VAS for pain showed a similar pattern, but 2 days after the sialogram (T3), the scores were significantly lower, compared with those before the sialogram (P <. 05).


CONCLUSIONS
Sialography is a safe procedure. Patients should be advised that minor effects may last approximately 1 day. A reduction in pain to below baseline levels was noted 2 days after sialography, which may suggest an unexpected benefit of sialography.
Drage
N A
NA
Department of Dental Radiology, Guy's, King's and St Thomas' Dental Institute, King's College, London, UK.
Brown
J E
JE
Wilson
R F
RF
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012796:Sialography / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000523:psychology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires