• Ji Y Buethe, Salim Abboud, Kristie Brock, Greg Nizialek, Rod Rezaee, Jay Wasman, Jonathan Frankel, and Dean A Nakamoto.
• Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Johns Hopkins Hospitals, Baltimore, Maryland.
• J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2016 Dec 1; 27 (12): 1907-1912.

PurposeTo evaluate the imaging, histologic changes and safety of computed tomography (CT)-guided cryoablation of the parotid glands in a porcine model.Materials And MethodsUnilateral CT-guided parotid gland cryoablation was performed in 5 juvenile miniature pigs. The ablated parotid glands underwent 2 cycles of 10-minute freeze and 5-minute thaw using three 17-g cryoprobes. The animals were monitored daily for complications including pain, frostbite, infection, and sialocele or fistula formation. Follow-up CT was performed at 6 weeks postcryoablation. Pathologic evaluation was performed on 2 of the ablated parotid glands.ResultsAll cryoablations in 5 right parotid glands, with 3 sites in each gland, were technically successful. No symptoms suggestive of facial nerve damage were observed during 6-week follow-up. One pig developed an infected sialocele, which was treated with percutaneous drainage and oral antibiotic therapy. No CT evidence of sialocele or other abnormality was identified at the 6-week follow-up in all pigs. Histologic evaluation was performed on 2 of the parotid gland specimens, 1 with the treated sialocele, and 1 of the remaining pigs without sialocele. Both glands demonstrated postprocedural intraglandular lymph nodes and reactive changes without evidence of sialocele or abscess on histopathology.ConclusionsCryoablation of parotid glands was technically feasible in a porcine model. Only 1 pig developed sialocele, which was successfully treated. Further research is warranted to determine the potential use of salivary gland cryoablation to treat patients with drooling.Copyright © 2016 SIR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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