0:01

The minor salivary gland tissue is scattered

0:04

throughout the aerodigestive system.

0:06

This actually is the source for things like the mucus

0:10

retention cyst, if you will, in the paranasal sinuses.

0:14

It also accounts for the salivary gland tissue that

0:18

lines the palate and it also goes into the

0:22

trachea and goes down into the bronchi.

0:23

So these are these tiny,

0:25

tiny little salivary cystic,

0:28

salivary glandular tissue

0:30

that is throughout the aerodigestive system,

0:33

including even the GI portion,

0:36

which would include the esophagus.

0:38

These have a relatively viscous mucinous saliva,

0:44

and they are innervated throughout the body

0:47

but in the head-neck region,

0:49

we usually think of the sphenopalatine,

0:51

the otic and the parasympathetic nervous system ganglia.

0:58

When you look at the distribution of the minor salivary

1:02

gland tissue, you see that the heaviest concentration

1:06

of minor salivary gland tissue is in the palate.

1:09

That includes the hard palate and soft palate.

1:13

Consequently, if you look at the distribution of minor

1:18

salivary gland neoplasms, it follows this quite closely.

1:23

So the most common location for a minor salivary

1:27

gland malignancy is in the palate.

1:31

You can see that there is quite a bit of

1:33

tissue also associated with the tongue

1:36

and the cheeks and the lips, as well as the maxillary

1:40

antrum which I mentioned and all the other different

1:43

portions of the aerodigestive system of the head and neck.

Minor Salivary Glands – Summary

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