Identificación de una glándula parótida accesoria por disección cadavérica en Colombia, un reporte de caso

Nelson Esteban Portuguez-Jaramillo; Frank Prado; Harold Fernando Montero-Muñoz; Jose Luis Piñeros-Alvarez; Leonardo Steven García-Martinez

doi:10.22490/24629448.10921

Vol. 24 No. 47 (2026): 2

Published 2026-06-15

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Case Study (before OJS)

Identification of an accessory parotid gland by cadaveric dissection in Colombia: a case report

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22490/24629448.10921

Nelson Esteban Portuguez-Jaramillo Universidad Santiago de Cali

Frank Prado Universidad Santiago de Cali

Harold Fernando Montero-Muñoz Universidad Santiago de Cali

Jose Luis Piñeros-Alvarez Universidad Santiago de Cali

Leonardo Steven García-Martinez Institución Universitaria Escuela Nacional del Deporte

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Abstract
References

Introduction. The parotid gland is the largest of the salivary glands. Unlike the submandibular and sublingual glands, which secrete saliva into the oral cavity proper, the parotid gland releases its contents into the oral vestibule. An accessory parotid gland is defined as glandular tissue adjacent to the parotid duct but clearly separated from the main gland. Its clinical relevance is significant, as it may present tumors or alterations in salivary flow. Objective. To describe the finding of an accessory parotid gland in an elderly cadaver in Colombia to strengthen regional anatomical knowledge. Case report. During an academic dissection at the Universidad Santiago de Cali, an accessory parotid gland was identified on the right side of the face of a man between sixty and seventy years old. The structure, measuring ten millimeters in width by thirty-two millimeters in length, was located anterior to the main parotid gland and over the masseter muscle. It presented a five-millimeter accessory duct that drained into the main parotid duct. Histological analysis confirmed the presence of salivary gland parenchyma with mixed acini, both serous and mucous. Conclusion. The finding coincides with the most frequent anatomical location reported in the literature. Recording these variants is fundamental for medical training and the planning of facial surgeries, allowing for the minimization of paralysis risks due to the proximity of the facial nerve branches.

keywords: accessory parotid gland, dissection, cadaver, salivary gland, parotid duct, medical students

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Portuguez-Jaramillo, N. E., Prado, F., Montero-Muñoz, H. F., Piñeros-Alvarez, J. L., & García-Martinez, L. S. (2026). Identification of an accessory parotid gland by cadaveric dissection in Colombia: a case report. NOVA Biomedical Sciences Journal, 24(47), 189-200. https://doi.org/10.22490/24629448.10921

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Identification of an accessory parotid gland by cadaveric dissection in Colombia: a case report

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