INCIDENTALLY DETECTED UNILATERAL SOLITARY NON-SYNDROMIC SUB-MANDIBULAR GLAND APLASIA – A CASE REPORT

Dr. Vigyat Kamal*, Dr. Vilas Kulkarni, Dr. Arijit Ghosh, Dr. Kunaal Jain, Dr. Anubhav Kamal, Dr. Shubham Singhal

ABSTRACT

Major salivary gland aplasia, or hypoplasia is a rare ailment with few cases reported in literature. It can affect submandibular, parotid and sublingual glands. It can be complete or partial, unilateral or bilateral. The patient’s presentation varies from being asymptomatic to dry mouth (xerostomia), taste alteration, oral burning, difficulty in chewing and swallowing to increased incidence of caries. Prompt diagnosis and treatment strategy can prevent or minimize additional dental damage and dysphagia. Patients with salivary gland hypoplasia may or may not be symptomatic and therefore diagnosed incidentally during imaging. In this case we report a 70 year old male patient with complaints of swelling below the mandible and dysphagia who was examined on ultrasonography and computed tomography leading to diagnosis of carcinoma tongue with metastatic cervical lymph nodes and right submandibular aplasia.

Keywords: Submandibular gland (MeSH unique ID: D013363). Aplasia of Lacrimal and Salivary Glands (MeSH unique ID: C562407). Lacrimoauriculodentodigital syndrome (MeSH unique ID: C538132). Agenesis (MeSH unique ID: Q000002).