Pediatric sialendoscopy

Salivary ductal disease is a common ailment among adults, and an ever-growing understanding and identification of these disorders is becoming apparent in pediatric otolaryngology. Traditionally, sialadenitis and sialolithiasis were treated with invasive procedures such as sialolithotomy and sialoadenectomy. Over the past 20 years, sialendoscopy has developed into a less-invasive form of treatment for adults and children alike. Unlike adults, the most common cause of salivary disease identified is juvenile recurrent parotitis. This along with more traditionally identified salivary disorders can be addressed or assisted endoscopically. In this article, we discuss the indications, instrumentation, technique, complications, and postoperative concerns when performing sialendoscopy on children.