Is there a role for ultrasound-guided balloon sialoplasty technique in salivary gland structures

Ductal stricture is a common cause of obstructive salivary gland disease. Balloon dilatation of the parotid duct as a minimally invasive technique is currently carried out under fluoroscopic guidance or during sialendocopy. We present a case report of ultrasound-guided balloon dilatation. A 45-year-old female presented with a long history of obstructive symptoms affecting the right parotid gland. Ultrasound examination revealed a tortuous right main parotid duct with marked dilatation throughout its course and multiple sites of focal stricture formation. A sialogram was carried out to further characterize the ductal system, it showed significant dilatation of the main duct but due to overlapping of the elements of sialodochitis the visualization of the location and presence of strictures was very difficult. It was felt that ultrasound would be a better imaging modality to utilize in order to guide balloon dilatation of the strictures. Therefore, a balloon dilatation was carried out under ultrasound guidance. The main advantage of this technique is to preserve the physician and the patient from radiation exposure. In our knowledge this is the first case reported yet in the literature.