Salivary gland scintigraphy in patients suffering from severe kerato conjunctivitis sicca

Abstract

SummaryLow tear production or elevated tear evaporation can lead to severe keratoconjunctivitis sicca. In patients with this disease, the transfer of an autologous submandibular gland into the temporal fossa is currently the most common surgical lacrimal gland substituting procedure. Aim: We compared the pre- and postoperative viability of transferred submandibular glands. Patients, methods: Altogether 16 submandibular glands had been transferred in 12 patients. The graft's viability was evaluated before and 0.5–1, 1–6 and 8–12 months after transplantation by dynamic salivary gland scintigraphies after application of 40–50 MBq 99mTc-pertechnetate. Quantitative analysis was performed by calculation and comparison of the glandula submandibularis-to-background-ratio (SBR) and the transplant-tobackground-ratio (TBR). The scintigraphic results were correlated with the clinical follow-up. Results: All grafts remained viable during clinical follow-up. Salivary gland scintigraphy yielded 15 true positive results and 1 falsenegative result. Comparison of presurgical SBR and postsurgical TBR showed good correlation with the clinical course. In 10 patients at least one transplant-reduction was necessary due to excessive epiphora occurring averagely 8 months after transplantation. Conclusion: Our results show that salivary gland scintigraphy very exactly reflects the morphological and biochemical postsurgical changes in a transferred submandibular gland. Thus, it is a reliable tool to exactly and objectively evaluate the viability of the grafts in the postsurgical course.