Ipsilateral removal of sublingual gland after excision of submandibular gland for benign disease: 10-year prospective study and comprehensive review 1978–2008

The removal of the submandibular salivary gland for non-neoplastic disease is a common procedure that has well documented risks and postoperative complications. Persistent symptoms of pain and swelling in the floor of the mouth that can occur after excision of the submandibular gland may require removal of the sublingual gland, but a causative association between the two has not, to our knowledge, been comprehensively established. We prospectively studied 77 patients who had had excision of the submandibular gland for benign disease, six of whom (8%) returned to theatre for ipsilateral sublingual sialadenectomy within a 5-year period after the initial operation (mean 24 months). These findings suggest that the association is under-reported, and may need to be considered during the consent process for excision of the submandibular salivary gland.