Sialoendoscopy: prognostic factors for endoscopic removal of salivary stones.
OBJECTIVE
To detect prognostic factors for successful sialoendoscopic removal of salivary stones.


METHODS
Retrospective case series.


METHODS
Tertiary referral hospital.


METHODS
Forty-nine consecutive patients who underwent sialoendoscopy for sialolithiasis between January 1, 2008, and January 1, 2010, at University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.


METHODS
Diagnostic and interventional sialoendoscopy using local anesthesia.


METHODS
Stone removal rate, size, mobility, shape, and location, as well as clinical follow-up data.


RESULTS
Sixty-one percent (39 of 64) of all salivary stones were removed endoscopically. The cutoff point for endoscopic removal was between 5 and 6 mm in stone diameter. Small size, good mobility, round or oval, and distal location of a salivary stone were positive prognostic factors for sialoendoscopic removal, with sialolith mobility having the greatest effect in multivariate analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Small size, good mobility, round or oval, and distal location of a salivary stone in the main duct predict significantly greater probability of endoscopic removal and consequently are positive prognostic factors.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Cologne, 50924 Cologne, Germany. jan-christoffer.lueers@uk-koeln.de
Jan Christoffer
JC
Luers
Maria
M
Grosheva
Markus
M
Stenner
Dirk
D
Beutner
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D018579:Patient Selection; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015494:Salivary Gland Calculi / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D014463:Ultrasonography