Necrotizing sialometaplasia: presentation of a case, diagnostic difficulties and review of the bibliography

Abstract

Necrotizing sialometaplasia (NS) is a statistically infrequent disorder of benign, inflammatory and selflimiting nature that predominantly affects minor salivary glands. Its aetiology is not clear; most authors
suggest that a chemical, physical or biological lesion of blood vessels would produce ischaemic changes
leading to gland tissue stroke with necrosis, inflammation and healing attempt. Clinical and histological
features of the lesion resemble malignancy and thus may lead to misdiagnose annexial malignant neoplasia,
when in fact NS is self-healing. Therefore, an accurate clinical and histopathological diagnosis is essential
to avoid mutilating or unnecessary surgical treatments. The present report describes the case of a female
patient referred to the ENT department at Clínica Universitaria Reina Fabiola with NS diagnosis, its clinical
and histopathological characteristics and evolution of the lesion.