Local complications associated with labial salivary gland biopsy for diagnosis of Sjogren's syndrome : a retrospective cohort study

Background: To describe local or systemic complications related to the labial salivary glands biopsy (LSGB) used as diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of Sjogren's Syndrome (SS). Material and Methods: Clinical databases from a cohort of patients, who underwent LSGB with provisional clinical diagnosis of Sjogren's Syndrome, were retrospectively reviewed. Pain, assessed by registering the intake of analgesic drugs in the first week following the biopsy, and any further relevant clinical information regarding complications after biopsy were recorded. Results: 50 patients received LSGB. 10 of them (9 women and 1 man) showed histopathological findings compatible with SS. Ten patient (20%) receiving labial biopsy developed local complications: three of them (6%) reported a sensory defect at the surgical site that lasted at most few weeks; three patients (6%) reported pain sensation needing the assumption of analgesic drugs, while one patient (2%) described a transient local burning sensation, which resolved in few days. Three patients (6%) showed cutaneous haematoma in the surgical area and two patients (4%) showed mild mucosal inflammation at the biopsy site. Conclusions: LSGB is associated with to few and mild complications and it is a useful tool in the diagnosis of SS. The complications usually resolved in few weeks after the biopsy.