Operative management of chronic sialorrhoea by submandibular duct relocation plus sublingual gland excision

ABSTRACT

To report results of 29 patients who underwent surgical management of sialorrhoea in private practice referred from Erlanger Handicap Clinic afterfailure of all other forms of non-surgical treatment to control chronic sialorrhoea. Proactive case series. Twenty-nine patients underwent bilateral submandibular duct relocation with sub-lingual gland excision. At the tie of operation 3 [15%] were children aged < than 18 years, and 16 were neurological impaired adults. Post-operative follow up was for a mean of 4 months. For all those who underwent operation, the total drooling score' [drooling frequency' + 'drooling severity'] was reduced from a pre-operative mean of 7.4 [of a maximum possible 8] to a post-operative mean of 2.6. Best results were seen in children under 18 years old-'total drooling score' reduced from a mean of 7.4 to a mean of 2.2. sialorrhoea was reliably improved by submandibular duct relocation plus sublingual gland excision, with the better results obtained in children