Sialendoscopy as a management tool in patients with foreign body impaction of the salivary gland.

PURPOSE: It has been long known that sialendoscopy has both diagnostic and therapeutic benefits in the identification and treatment of sialadenitis. Sialendoscopy can also be used to triage patients with traumatic injury or foreign bodies lodged in the parotid gland.

PROCEDURES: We present a case of traumatic insertion a fishbone into the parotid gland parenchyma that was evaluated with sialendoscopy and successfully managed on the basis of stable endoscopy findings that correlated with improving symptomatology.

MAIN FINDINGS: We find that sialendoscopy presents a useful tool to help guide management.

CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate that in an asymptomatic patient, foreign body impaction with absence of ductal obstruction on endoscopy can successfully be followed with simple observation.