Surgical management of sialorrhea

Sialorrhea is a distressing problem in children with cerebral palsy, in children with other neurologic disorders, and in normal children. The constant need for clothing or bib changes in handicapped patients frequently results in further social isolation and causes normal children to be viewed as "impaired." The surgical treatment of sialorrhea at Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, has evolved over the past 5 years. Since 1981, 70 surgical procedures have been performed for drooling at this institution; follow-up information is available on 52 patients. The surgical procedures performed included submandibular rerouting alone, submandibular duct rerouting with bilateral tympanic neurectomy with bilateral submandibular gland excision, and bilateral submandibular gland excision with bilateral parotid duct ligation. Our review indicates that bilateral submandibular gland excision with parotid duct ligation is the only procedure in which consistent control of sialorrhea can be expected. Postoperative complications after this procedure were minimal and only one parent complained that the child had a dry mouth after the procedure. Postoperative hospitalization after bilateral submandibular gland excision and bilateral parotid duct ligation was not significantly different from that required after any of the other procedures. In conclusion, this surgical procedure appears to be the most effective surgical treatment for sialorrhea and precludes the need for multiple operative procedures for this problem.