HEAD & NECK SURGERY

Salivary gland tumors

Parotid is the largest salivary gland and it is the place where most of the salivary gland tumors arise from. Most of them are non-cancerous. Usually it’s a painless swelling and is evaluated by fine needle aspiration cytology and radiological investigation to know extent.

What is the parotid and what causes parotid lumps?

The parotid gland makes saliva; you have two parotid glands, one on each side, in front of your ears. Lumps occur in the parotid due to abnormal overgrowth of some part of the salivary glands (a parotid gland tumour). Most tumours are benign, which means that they are not cancerous (malignant) and do not spread to other parts of the body.

Submandibular gland sialedenitis/sialolithiasis

Sialadenitis is bacterial infection of a salivary gland, usually due to an obstructing stone or gland hyposecretion. Symptoms are swelling, pain, redness, and tenderness. Diagnosis is clinical. CT, ultrasonography, and MRI may help identify the cause. Treatment is with antibiotics and painkillers. If the patient is getting recurrent attacks of infection it is better to excise the gland.

WHAT IS THE THYROID GLAND?

The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped endocrine gland that is normally located in the lower front of the neck. The thyroid’s job is to make thyroid hormone, which are secreted into the blood and then carried to every tissue in the body. Thyroid hormone helps the body use energy, stay warm and keep the brain, heart, muscles, and other organs working normally.