Hemostatic Management using Surgicel® Fibrillar in Surgical Beds Following Submandibulectomy and Sublinguelectomy: A Retrospective Case Series of 18 Patients

Abstract

Submandibular and sublingual gland excisions are performed as treatment for various pathologies. In the sublingual gland, ranula represents the most prevalent condition, with complete gland excision being the most predictable definitive treatment. In the submandibular gland, the main surgical indication corresponds to obstructive sialolithiasis of the posterior third of Wharton’s duct, which cannot always be managed through an intraoral approach. Both procedures involve anatomical spaces of the neck and the floor of the mouth, where complications, although infrequent, may be potentially serious, particularly postoperative infections and hemorrhage. The aim of this study is to describe the hemostatic management using Surgicel® Fibrillar, a resorbable hemostatic agent applied to the surgical bed following submandibulectomy and sublinguelectomy, which allows prevention of hemorrhage and/or hematoma formation while avoiding the use of surgical drains in these procedures.