Minor Salivary Gland Duct Changes Due to Obstruction

Abstract

A review of the literature and of the oral pathology files with respect to minor salivary gland obstructive phenomena, sialolithiasis, mucous retention phenomenon, mucous retention cysts, ranula, and benign adenomas (excluding pleomorphic adenoma) was undertaken to compare previously reported glandular and ductal changes with our biopsy cases. The ten cases of minor gland sialolithiasis reported here display clinical features in common with cases appearing in the literature: Persons over middle age are affected, and the buccal mucosal and superior labial glands are involved while retromolar and palatal glands are apparently spared. Oncocytic proliferation reported in papillary cystadenomas of the minor salivary gland has also been observed in obstructive minor gland involvement. Six cases of a peculiar oncocytic change in response to partially occluded ducts are reported.