FROM THE AUTHORS
The efficacy and safety of botulinum therapy in the treatment of patients with sialorrhea, demonstrated in recent years, along with the registration in 2022 of a new indication for one of the botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) preparations — inco-botulinumtoxin (Xeomin) — in the Russian Federation, has made it possible to supplement the atlas with another section. In this part, you will find information on the localization, function, innervation, and blood supply of the two largest salivary glands: the parotid and submandibular glands; a description of the technique for performing BoNT‑A injections using ultrasound (US) imaging guidance: optimal sites and injection points, and drug dosages. The need to use injection navigation methods is dictated by the small size of the glands, their superficial location, and their proximity to the facial muscles, oral cavity, neck muscles, and other head/neck structures, which increases the risk of adverse events (dysphagia, etc.) due to diffusion of the injected drug beyond the injection site (the gland) when administered inaccurately; as well as the possibility of vascular damage during injection and, consequently, reduced procedure effectiveness. Therefore, physicians must have a thorough knowledge of anatomy and possess the skills to use navigation methods. The anatomical perspective in the atlas is presented using the authors' original cadaveric material. For better comprehension of the image, which may be unfamiliar to the clinician on the ultrasound screen, photographs showing the transducer position on the face are placed alongside the ultrasound images.
We hope that the atlas will serve as a good practical aid for physicians who plan to perform botulinum therapy in the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with extrapyramidal, neurodegenerative, and other diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), as well as with sequelae of strokes, trauma, and neurosurgical brain operations that result in sialorrhea.