Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 25, 2025
Standardization of Basket Use in Sialendoscopy: A Ten-Year Retrospective Study
Published on: June 6, 2025
Adverse post-operative events of salivary gland biopsies: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Remberto M A Valdez1, Thayanara S Melo1, Alan R Santos-Silva2
1Oral Medicine Unit, Departamento de Clínica e Odontologia Preventiva, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
Objectives:
The study aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the complications following major and minor salivary gland biopsy.
Materials And Methods:
Observational studies assessing postoperative complications of minor salivary gland biopsy and indexed at Medline/PubMed, EMBASE, Cinahl, LILACS, or Scopus were selected. This review was registered under the protocol number: CRD42020211169. The level of significance considered was 0.05, and the R software (The R Foundation) was used for the meta-analysis.
Results:
Twenty-seven studies reporting 3208 patients were included in this review. The combined prevalence of postsurgical complications was 11% (95% CI, 8 to 13%, p = 0.01). The percentage of the combined prevalence of neurological complications was 3% (95% CI, 1-6%, p = 0.01). The surgical technique did not influence the frequency of overall and neurological complications.
Conclusion:
Minor salivary gland biopsies are a safe and predictable procedure that should be performed on the lower lip. Postoperative complications are more common than previously reported, but permanent complaints are uncommon.
Insights
Minor salivary gland biopsies are safe, with an 11% complication rate. While postsurgical issues can occur, permanent problems are rare, especially with lower lip procedures.
Area of Science:
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
- Pathology
- Otolaryngology
Background:
- Salivary gland biopsies are crucial for diagnosing various conditions.
- Understanding complication rates is essential for patient counseling and procedural refinement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and meta-analyze complications following major and minor salivary gland biopsy.
- To determine the overall and neurological complication prevalence after these procedures.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.
- Searched Medline/PubMed, EMBASE, Cinahl, LILACS, and Scopus.
- Included 27 studies with 3208 patients; analyzed using R software.
Main Results:
- The combined prevalence of postsurgical complications was 11% (95% CI, 8-13%).
- Neurological complications occurred in 3% of cases (95% CI, 1-6%).
- Surgical technique did not significantly impact overall or neurological complication rates.
Conclusions:
- Minor salivary gland biopsies, particularly on the lower lip, are safe and predictable.
- Postoperative complications are more frequent than previously thought, but permanent sequelae are uncommon.
More Related Videos
07:25Author Spotlight: A Focus on Standardized Salivary Gland Ultrasound Protocol in Connective Tissue Disease Research
Published on: October 13, 2023
07:44Retroductal Submandibular Gland Instillation and Localized Fractionated Irradiation in a Rat Model of Salivary Hypofunction
Published on: April 24, 2016