The Accessory Parotid Gland and its Clinical Significance

Abstract

Purpose: The accessory parotid gland is a collection of salivary tissue separate from the main parotid gland. When present, it may complicate parotidectomies, promote parotitis, and serve as a potential site for benign and malignant lesions to arise. The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive and current overview of the anatomy of the accessory parotid gland, as there is a wide discrepancy in the literature regarding its prevalence. Materials and Methods: The authors conducted a search in PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, SciELO, BIOSIS, Current Content Connect, Korean Journal Database, and Russian Citation Index to identify all studies which reported relevant data on the accessory, with no date or language restrictions applied. Data on prevalence, side of occurrence, and sex dimorphism of the accessory parotid gland were extracted and pooled into a meta-analysis. Results: A total of 13 articles (n = 3115 subjects) were included in the study. The results revealed that the overall pooled prevalence of an accessory parotid gland was 32.1% (95% confidence interval: 21.2–44.0). It was more prevalent in cadaveric studies (35.8%) than in computed tomography studies (21.5%), had a higher prevalence in Asia (33.8%) as compared to North America (23.5%), and when present, it was most often found as an unilateral structure (77.8%). Conclusions: With respect to the findings presented, the accessory parotid gland may be considered an anatomical variation likely to encounter in the population. More anatomical studies on the structure and its prevalence are needed, in all regions of the world, to provide a representative global overview.

Contouring the accessory parotid gland and major parotid glands as a single organ at risk during nasopharyngeal carcinoma radiotherapy

“…Heterogeneity exists in the prevalence and location of the APG in the population, as more than one APG may be found unilaterally, adjacent to a single PG, or deviate from its expected location (18). The prevalence of the APG in our study was 23.53%, which was lower than the 33.8% prevalence found in a recent meta-analysis in Asia (18). In addition, a higher prevalence was observed in male compared to female patients.…”

Conventional and MR-sialography of accessory submandibular glands: A case report

“…Our review of the literature identified reports of variation in anatomy of the submandibular gland to be rare. Fewer than 15 cases of accessory submandibular glands have been reported in our review of the literature, whereas accessory lobes to the parotid gland are common and have been in 32.1% of cases examined [1 , 2] .…”

“…Anatomic variation of submandibular glands is a rare finding, unlike the more commonly variable parotid gland [1] . Abnormal findings have been characterized by unilateral duplications of submandibular ducts with or without an accessory submandibular gland [2] .…”

Características anatómicas y funcionales de la glándula parótida. Una revision de la literatura.

“…Cabe resaltar la importancia de los adenómeros dentro de las glándulas salivales, ya que, están extremadamente polarizadas y delimitadas por una membrana de plasma con un dominio basolateral que se encuentra separados por uniones estrechas. 6,18,26,28,30,31 Éstos son responsables de la producción y secreción de gránulos secretores que contienen componentes salivales funcionales como amilasa, mucinas e inmunoglobulinas. 13,19,28,29,32,33 Varios autores indican que las células mioepiteliales son delgadas, contráctiles, en forma de huso y que están intercaladas entre las células epiteliales acinares y pequeños conductos.…”