Abstract
Objective: To review two major Royal Medical Services Hospitals experience of non selected patients seen with submandibular gland lesions during last five years.
Methodology: A total of 116 patients underwent submandibular gland excision from January 2008 to January 2013. Histopathological diagnosis and follow-up data with findings of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC), including its specifity and sensitivity with post operative histopathological findings were determined.
Results: Out of 116 patients, there were 83 (71.5%) males and 33 (28.5%) females. Right submandibular gland was involved in 65 (56%) patients, left in 48 (41%), and bilateral involvement was seen in 3 (3%) patients. Non-neoplastic lesions were seen in 80% and neoplastic lesions in 20% biopsies. Sensitivity and specificity of FNAC for malignant lesions were 80% and 82%, respectively, whereas for benign neoplastic lesions were 88%, and 90%, respectively.
Conclusion: Excision of the submandibular gland is a safe procedure with acceptable complications for both malignant and benign lesions in the hands of the experienced surgeons. Diagnosis is best achieved by combination of FNAC, clinical and radiological and not by FNAC alone.

Key words: Salivary glands, biopsy, neoplasm.