Steroid Use in Sialendoscopy—A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE: Sialendoscopy is an increasingly relevant, minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedure used in various salivary gland pathologies. The use of steroids as an adjunct is still being debated, and further clarity into the efficacy of steroid treatments is required. Our study aims to provide the first systematic review of literature regarding the perioperative role of steroids in sialendoscopy and its potential benefits and drawbacks. DESIGN: A qualitative analysis was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. A separate quantitative analysis was made to compare outcomes in included studies. SETTING: A systematic search of the databases PUBMED and Web of Science was conducted from date of inception to 30 January 2024. PARTICIPANTS: The inclusion criteria were patients above 18 years old with salivary gland disease who had either received oral steroids, steroid injections, or steroid irrigation before, during, or after sialendoscopy, and treatment outcomes post-sialendoscopy were compared with the intervention. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Effectiveness of steroid therapy in sialendoscopy. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Seven studies were included in our review. All included articles ranged from moderate to high-quality studies. There was insufficient quantitative data to compare the changes to Visual Analogue Scales with steroid use and other subjective scoring systems. The use of steroid irrigation in sialendoscopy may be confounded by the mechanical flushing effect of the medium. There is symptomatic relief irrespective of the type and dose of steroid used. However, there are insufficient quantitative studies to conclude any significant statistical differences with or without steroid irrigation, and further high-quality studies will be revealing.