A case of major salivary gland agenesis.
Major salivary gland agenesis is a rare disorder and only a few instances of the condition have been reported. The number of absent salivary glands and the degree of associated xerostomia vary between individuals. Salivary gland agenesis can cause profound xerostomia in children and there may be oral and upper respiratory tract sequelae, such as dental caries, candidiasis, ascending sialadenitis, laryngitis and pharyngitis. Salivary gland aplasia may be associated with other ectodermal defects, particularly abnormalities of the lacrimal apparatus. We report on the first observation of major salivary gland agenesis in South Korea. A child with xerostomia should be appropriately investigated and diagnosed, and careful attention should be paid to the prevention and treatment of sequelae.
Kwon
Soon-Young
SY
Departments of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, South Korea. entkwon@chollian.net
Jung
Eun-Jae
EJ
Kim
Seung-Hyun
SH
Kim
Tack-Koon
TK
D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus / Q000002:abnormalities; D008297:Male; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013667:Technetium; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy
D013667:Technetium