Clinical anatomy of three major salivary glands to treat xerophthalmia

Abstract

Background Salivary transplantation or duct transposition can provide continuous physiological secretion of tear substitutes.This may be an ideal method in treatment of dry eye.But the relative anatomical literatures is few,and some of the conclusions in the literatures are still controversial,which limit its clinical application.Objective This study was to discuss the possibility and the advantage and disadvantage of applying three major salivary glands to treat xerophthalmia.Methods The relationship between the branches of the facial nerve out of the parotid gland and the salivary glands,the salivary glands size,origin of blood supply,out diameter of vessels and adjacent relation were observed in 34 sides pate specimens perfused with red latex under the operating microscope.To find the vessels in recipient site to anastomose,the vessels around fossa orbitalis and forehead were anatomized and observed.The parotid gland duct transfer operation,the submandibular gland free transplantation surgery and sublingual gland free transplantation surgery in the human anatomy specimens were simulated.Results The position of parotid duct was constant.The duct length was(4.20± 1.10) cm,duct diameter was (O.60±0.30) cm.The stensen's duct was likely to be prolonged by the cheek mucous membrane or venous andthe damage of buccal branch,zygomatic branch and temporal branches of facial nerve should be avoided during the operation of transplanting stensen' s duct.When submandibular gland was transplanted,facial vessel was taken as its pedicle,whose outside diameter was (2.70 ± 0.28) mm,and the length of the transplant vascular pedicle was (1.90 ± O.30) cm.Thc anastomosed vessel was superficial temporal vessel in recipient site.When sublingual gland was transplanted,sublingual(88.2％,30 sides) or submental vessel(11.8％,4 sides) was taken as its pedicle,whose outside diameter was(1.92±0.36) mm and (1.96±0.54) mm,and the length of the transplant vascular pedicle was(2.60± 1.10) cm and(3.50±0.40) cm,and the anastomosed vessel was the frontal branch of superficial temporal vessel in recipient site.Three sides of specimens lacked sublingual glands.Conclusions It is feasible that treating severe xerophthalmia by the operation of grafting the major salivary glands or transplanting stensen' s duct on the point of anatomical view.Parotid duct inversion and the submandibular gland transplantation have been applied to clinic.However,sublingual transplantation remains to be further confirmed by the animal experiments. Key words: Salivary glands ;  Xerophthalmia ;  Applied anatomy