In this report we presented a case of emphysema of the parotid gland induced by abnormal habit.
The patient was a 45-year-old man. In Sept. 1983, he noticed painless swelling of the left cheek. In Feb. 1985, concerned about the swelling which had continued to grow at times, he visited a clinic of an otorhinolaryngologist. However he received no cure because no swelling was found at that time. On Dec. 3, 1986, when he was admitted to a hospital for a physical examination, the swelling of the same region was pointed out by the doctor. And on Dec. 12, he was referred to our university clinic.
In the clinical examination, a diffuse swelling of the left cheek was observed. W hen we pressed the bilateral parotid gland regions, we felt as if we had pressed a mass of flour. And foamy saliva was ejected from the parotid papilla with air. CT scan and sialogram revealed air in the bilateral parotid glands and ducts.
Clinical diagnosis of emphysema of the bilateral parotid glands was made. This emphysema was considered to be induced by the abnormal habit that he had puffed out his cheeks strongly with his breath many times since he was 11 years old.
