[The composition and structure of salivary calculi (sialoliths)]

Composition and structure of more than 50 sialoliths were examined to optimize the treatment of sialolithiasis. Infrared spectroscopy, x-ray phase analysis, optic and electron microscopy were used in examinations. The concrements consist of organic and mineral substances, the former ones predominating. Mineral phase is represented mainly by carbonate-containing hydroxylapatite. The structure of the concrements is concentrically lamellar, in some of them the mineral phase predominates in the central parts of stones, in others in the peripheral parts; stones with regular distribution of the mineral phase along the stone section are quite frequent. The authors conclude that search for the optimal parameters of hypershock exposure to disintegrate the concrements is going to be rather difficult because of the complexity of their structure. They distinguish two trends of this research: (1) specification of the optimal parameters of hypershock exposure and (2) combination of hypershock wave exposure and litholytic solutions.