title: Upfront submandibular salivary gland transfer in pharyngeal cancers.
abstract: Head and neck irradiation results in salivary dysfunction and subsequent xerostomia. Twenty two patients with squamous cancer of oropharynx or hypopharynx underwent contralateral submandibular salivary gland transfer (SMSGT) to submental triangle to shield it from subsequent radiotherapy. Resting salivary outputs of transferred and untransferred gland (control) were measured before and after SMSGT and following radiotherapy, by cannulating individual submandibular duct. They were compared by paired samples t-test. Following radiation therapy transferred gland retained 73% and untransferred gland (control) retained 27% of baseline salivary output. This significant difference in post-radiation salivary outputs suggests preservation of function of transferred salivary gland.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Tata Memorial Hospital, Dr. E. Borges Road, Parel, Mumbai 400 012, India. kapathak@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Pathak
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Bhalavat
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Mistry
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Deshpande
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bhalla
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Malpani
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010610:Pharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012472:Salivation / Q000528:radiation effects; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000637:transplantation*; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control