Dry surgical field minor salivary gland harvest using a chalazion clamp for sicca syndrome

Background Sjogren's syndrome is a rheumatological condition. Diagnosing Sjogren's syndrome can be challenging given the overlapping nature of clinical presentations. Currently, minor salivary gland biopsy is considered the definitive test for diagnosing Sjogren's syndrome. Various surgical techniques have been described, targeting biopsy of minor salivary glands from the lower lip. Identification of minor salivary glands is often difficult because of bleeding. One common complication of minor salivary gland biopsy is lip paraesthesia from iatrogenic sensory nerve injury. Objectives To describe a minor salivary gland biopsy technique in a bloodless operative field using a chalazion ophthalmic clamp under local anaesthesia, and to report our clinical outcomes. Methods A prospective study was performed on patients who underwent minor salivary gland biopsy using a chalazion ophthalmic clamp between July 2017 and April 2018. Results The study included 23 patients. The histopathological reports positively identified minor salivary glands for all patients. In nine cases, the histological findings were positive for Sjogren's syndrome. No lip paraesthesia complications were reported post-operatively. Conclusion This technique facilitates a superior yield, ensures adequate sampling of appropriate glands for histopathological analysis, and minimises the complications associated with traditional techniques.