Sialolithiasis – colloquially called salivary stone disease – (synonyms: obstructive electrolyte sialadenitis; sialodocholithiasis; ICD-10 K11.5: sialolithiasis) is the term used to describe sialadenitis (inflammation of the salivary glands) caused by sialoliths (synonyms: salivary stones, concretions).
The following glands may be affected by sialolithiasis:
- Glandula submandibularis (submandibular gland).
- Glandula parotis (synonym: parotid gland; parotid gland).
- Glandula sublingualis (sublingual gland).
Classification of sialoliths by size:
- Microliths – microscopic < 1 mm, in glandular acini and small glandular ducts in the parenchyma (tissue).
- Macroliths – can grow to several millimeters in size; usually form in the excretory duct.
Forms of the disease
Sialolithiasis is usually chronic, although acute purulent exacerbation (marked worsening of symptoms) is possible due to ascending (ascending) bacterial infection. This in turn is favored by hyposialia (decreased salivation) due to sialoliths.
A chronic recurrent course is based on obstruction (blockage, outflow congestion) caused by sialoliths. Obstructive sialadenitis is the most common form of inflammation of the salivary glands.
The so-called Küttner tumor (synonym: sialadenitis of the submandibular gland) occurs in 50% of cases in combination with sialolithiasis. (For further information on Küttner’s tumor, see “Sialadenitis” below).
Sex ratio: Men are two to three times more frequently affected by salivary stones than women.
Frequency peak: The disease occurs more frequently with increasing age.
The prevalence (frequency of disease) is 0.45%.
The incidence (frequency of new cases) is about 59 cases per million people per year.
Comorbidities (concomitant diseases): Sialolithiasis rarely occurs in combination with other stone diseases. The submandibular and parotid glandules are never affected simultaneously.
