[Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy for treatment of sialolithiasis of salivary glands].

Background: Following the clinical introduction of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy in the 1980s for the treatment of sialolithiasis of salivary glands this method has been widely used and replaced surgical interventions in selected patients.

Patients: Between 1/1995 and 1/1999 35 patients were treated by extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) with the "Minilith SL-1" lithotripter on an outpatient basis. Radiography and sonography were performed to verify sialolithiasis and scintigraphic investigation was done to control sufficient gland function. Treatment was performed in a fractionated manner with up to 3000 shockwaves per session, normally without anesthesia or analgosedation.

Results: After treatment 45.4 % of the patients with sialolithiasis of the parotid gland (n = 11) were stone-free and in 36.3 % an adequate desintegration of the stones was achieved. These patients underwent 2.6 sessions on average for sufficient stone-destruction. 41.6 % of the patients with sialolithiasis of the submandibular gland (n = 24) were stone-free and 3.1 sessions were necessary on average. Desintegration of the stones was achieved in 25 %. Mild pain, swelling, bleeding out of the intraoral orifice of the affected gland and skin petechia were the only complications. All patients were symptom-free after lithotripsy, although fragmented stones persisted in the parotid gland (18.3 %) and the submandibular gland (33.4 %).

Conclusions: The advantages of ESWL are the relatively painless treatment and the elimination of the need for an operation with its surgical risks.