The pleomorphic adenomas of the small salivary glands in the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery in a Provincial Hospital in Rzeszow

Abstrakt

Pleomorphic adenomas are non-malignant tumours originating in epithelium. They are most often found in the parotid gland. Their location apart from the parotid gland is quite rare. That type of tumour is usually treated surgically. The aim of this paper is to describe own observations of the symptoms of pleomorphic adenomas that were not located in the parotid gland. Analysis of the clinical material was based on retrospective assessment of 41 patients hospitalised in the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery during the period 1991-2010 because of pleomorphic adenomas located in the small salivary glands. The group consisted of 24 women and 17 men aged between 24 and 79. Tumours were most often round or oval, between 0.7 cm and 3.5 cm and found in the palate area. All patients were treated surgically. Pleomorphic adenomas of small salivary glands, similarly to tumours located in the parotid gland, were more often found in women. Non-symptomatic course of the illness was the main reason behind late diagnosis. Tumours from the group of pleomorphic adenomas originated from small mouth glands were most often found in the hard palate.