Facial disfigurement and difficulty eating due to stones under the jaw.

Recently, the Ear, Nose, and Throat Center of Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City announced that it had received a case of Mr. Long from Binh Dinh province for examination in early August.

The jaw is deformed, making eating difficult due to stones under the jaw (Figure 1). — CT scan image of a patient with a submandibular stone. (Image provided by the hospital).

Notably, Master's degree holder and doctor Pham Thai Duy stated that the patient had a strange mass under the right jaw, swelling to the size of a hand, causing facial disfigurement. Initially the mass was the size of a finger, it gradually increased in size over two years, causing pain when eating.

The CT scan revealed three salivary gland stones in the right submandibular region, the largest measuring 1.5 cm and the smallest 0.8 cm. The stones caused hypertrophic inflammation and dilation of the salivary gland lumen.

According to Dr. Tran Thi Thuy Hang, Head of the Ear, Nose and Throat Department at the Ear, Nose and Throat Center, the patient's salivary glands were enlarged due to recurrent inflammation, making surgery difficult.

The doctor explained that if the procedure is not performed correctly, it can cause drooping lips, weakened tongue movement, and taste disturbances due to nerve damage. After two hours, the team removed all the stones while preserving important nerve structures.

Salivary gland stones are common in adults, accounting for 50% of salivary gland pathologies. They typically range in diameter from 0.2 to 1 cm, with only 7.6% of cases exceeding 1.5 cm. Most salivary gland stones are benign; however, large stones can cause facial disfigurement, inflammation, salivary gland abscesses, and affect aesthetics.

The jaw is deformed, making eating difficult due to stones under the jaw (Figure 2). — The stones were removed after surgery. (Photo provided by the hospital).

According to doctors, Mr. Long's submandibular salivary gland stone is large and rare. Some causes of salivary gland stones include long-term mineral buildup in salivary gland drainage ducts, certain medications, infections, tumors, and autoimmune diseases. According to Dr. Hang, the exact cause in Mr. Long's case is still unclear.

According to doctors, patients should seek medical attention if they experience suspicious symptoms such as pain in the mouth and around the jaw, difficulty opening their mouth, dry mouth, or a lump under the tongue that lasts for more than three weeks. In addition, maintaining good oral hygiene, avoiding smoking, and limiting exposure to harmful chemicals contribute to protecting the jaw and minimizing the risk of salivary gland stones.

Le Trang

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