[Bilateral submandibulectomy for the treatment of drooling in pediatric age: 10 years of experience].

INTRODUCTION: Sialorrhea is a medical problem and can become a social issue, common in children with neurological disabilities. The bilateral submandibulectomy is one of the available treatment options for managing this pathology.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of bilateral submandibulectomy in the management of sialorrhea in children with neurological disabilities through the parents' satisfaction grade.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 91 bilateral submandibulectomies for a period of time of 10 years (2004-2015). Data were taken from surgical records and patients files and were informatically processed. The severity grade before and after surgery was evaluated in line with the modified Teacher scale. Parental satisfaction was evaluated by applying a scale graded into five classes, according to the degree of sialorrhea severity in postoperative period.

RESULTS: During the reporting period, 91 children underwent bilateral submandibulectomy in our center. Of these, 7 cases were excluded for lack of data. The average age of the children was 8,9 [± 3,5] years; 58,3% were male. The degree of preoperative sialorrhea severity was, in 52,4% of cases, level 4 (severe drooling), and in 28,6%, level 5 (very severe). The grade of parental satisfaction in postoperative period was ranked, in 73,8% of cases, between 81-100%.

CONCLUSIONS: For children with drooling, a bilateral submandibulectomy emerges as an effective and efficient treatment, leaving parents with an extremely high satisfaction grade.