A new sheath dilator for salivary gland endoscopic surjery

Abstract

In sialendoscopy, insertion of the endoscope into the duct opening is considered to be the most technically difficult part of the surgical process. We have developed a sheath dilator to facilitate insertion of the endoscope. This device consists of a sheath into which a dilator containing a guidewire is inserted. The device is inserted from the tip of the guidewire into the duct opening and the integrated dilator and sheath can be smoothly inserted. The dilator and guidewire are then removed, leaving the sheath in place. The tip of the sialendoscope can then be inserted through the sheath, gaining easy access to the duct. We believe our new device will make a useful contribution to the field of sialendoscopy.