Clinico pathological study of salivary gland swellings and its management

Salivary gland swelling commonly encountered in routine surgical practice can present with diverse pathology and associated with various etiologies like inflammation, sialolithiasis and tumors. Clinical examination often helps to differentiate between cysts, inflammation and tumor. Wide range of patients with acute bacterial and viral infection of the salivary glands present with varied symptomatology and severity. Successful management of the salivary gland swelling depends on accurate clinical assessment and diagnosis, with appropriate use of fine needle aspiration and CT or MRI imaging. Moreover, knowledge about individual tumour type guides the development of an appropriate treatment plan for individual patient.