Parotid duct anastomosis with an epidural catheter as a stent and evaluation of postoperative gland function

To investigate the feasibility of epidural catheters in parotid gland duct anastomosis and the function of the affected side gland after parotid gland duct anastomosis.

Thirteen patients who were treated in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of Xuzhou Central Hospital using an epidural catheter as the scaffold for parotid gland catheter anastomosis were enrolled from Jan. 2019 to June 2021. The swelling, salivary fistula and catheter patency in the parotid gland area were evaluated two weeks after the operation.^99mTcO₄^- single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was used for quantitative detection of salivary gland secretion function.

Thirteen patients had no swelling or salivary fistula in the parotid gland area of the affected side two weeks after the operation, and the catheter secretion was unobstructed. There was no significant difference in the uptake rate between the parotid gland on the affected side and the parotid gland on the healthy side (t =-0.859, P = 0.399), and there was no significant difference in the excretion rate between the parotid gland on the affected side and the parotid gland on the healthy side (t = 0.693, P = 0.495). The parotid gland excretion function of the affected side was excellent three months after the operation.

Parotid duct anastomosis with an epidural catheter as the stent has good feasibility, and parotid gland secretion function recovers well after the operation, which is worthy of clinical application.