A 24-year-old otherwise healthy male patient reported with the chief complaint of watery discharge from a swelling on the right side of the face for the past 1 month. Patient had a history of mandibular condylar fracture from a road traffic accident, for which he was treated elsewhere with direct open reduction and internal fixation of the condyle. The surgical scar was observed on the post-ramus swelling, and there was fistula in one end of the scar that was about 0.5 cm in diameter [Figures and ]. The wound was 2 cm deep and had a healthy granulating margin with no obvious clinical signs of infection, but the wound continued to have a drain of a copious amount of clear, watery, and odorless fluid.\nOn examination of parotid papillae, intraorally, active secretion was present on the left side, but not on the right side. Neurological examination revealed no motor loss due to severance of any branch of facial nerve in the affected side. Location of the fistula and nature of the discharge suggested a laceration of the right parotid gland substance resulting in a sialocele and a right parotid fistula formation. Siaologram confirmed the clinical suspicion [Figures –].\nIn the present case, trauma in the parotid glandular substance lead to formation of sialocele by accumulation of extravasated saliva into glandular parenchyma. It was decided to create a controlled internal fistula with drainage intraorally under local anesthesia. After standard preparation, intraorally, a 1-cm long incision was placed on external oblique ridge behind the third molar. A small artery forceps was forced through the superficial fascia of masseter reaching the sialocele. With the help of this forceps, approximately 5-cm long, slender, sterile, punched plastic tube of diameter 4 mm was positioned with one end in the glandular substance and the other end in the mouth, seated along the vestibule, ensuring complete convenience. The tube was secured by suturing it to the mucosal surface of the cheek []. Extraorally, the wound was sutured primarily in layers, followed by compression dressing on the cheek. The patient was covered with Ciprofloxacin and Metronidazole for 5 days to prevent superadded infections. Saliva stopped draining by 10th postoperative day of surgery. The tube was subsequently removed to enable the internal fistula to close and salivary secretions to drain through the right Stenson's duct normally. The patient's recovery was uncomplicated and follow-up was done for 5 months and lost to follow-up.
A 1-yr-old girl presented with a salivary discharge at the facial skin of her right cheek. CT sialography was done and a sialo-cutaneous fistula from an accessory parotid gland was diagnosed (). She also had a skin tag on the tragus of the right ear. At that time, surgical excision was considered at a later age. At the age of five, she visited the outpatient clinic for definitive treatment. The clinical examination demonstrated a 1 mm-sized opening located at the facial skin 1 cm lateral to the angle of mouth. The salivary discharge was clear and serous. The salivary flow rate was calculated by a cotton ball test. It revealed that the flow from the accessory gland was about 10% of the total flow of a parotid gland. According to our previous experience (), fistulectomy was scheduled, but aesthetic considerations for the young girl made the surgical plan change to more conservative management. Under general anesthesia, the 6 cm-long fistula tract was identified with a lacrimal probe. Intraoperative ultrasonography was done to demarcate the accessory parotid gland. Although the accessory gland was too small to be clearly identified, 16 IU of botulinum toxin was injected to the accessory gland under ultrasound guidance. After thin adhesive film was attached on the buccal skin around the fistula opening to prevent spillage of corrosive agent from unwanted skin injury, about 2 mL of 40% TCA solution was injected into the tract with a small metal suction tip (). Thirty seconds later, all the solution was removed with suction and squeezing. This procedure of TCA cauterization was repeated twice. There was no immediate complication postoperatively.\nAfter several days, a tensely inflated sialocele formed and the opening was found to be completely closed up. Aspiration was done with long subcutaneous tunneling from behind so as not to make an iatrogenic sialo-cutaneous fistula. After 4 sessions of weekly aspiration, the sialocele did not recur. During one year follow-up, there was no more salivary leakage or sialocele. Moreover, the aesthetic result was very satisfactory.