Sjögren’s disease is characterized by chronic inflammation of the glands that produce saliva and tears. An important method for establishing the diagnosis is to take a biopsy of the salivary glands in order to determine whether inflammation is present, and if so, its type and severity. The many minor salivary glands just under the inner surface of the lip are the most accessible of these glands.
In performing a lip biopsy, the surgeon numbs one side of the inner lip and makes a small, shallow incision. Approximately 5-7 glands are then gently removed, and the incision is closed with resorbable sutures.
The lip biopsy must be interpreted by a pathologist with specialized training. The characteristic biopsy finding in Sjögren’s disease is “focal lymphocytic sialoadenitis” and is recognized by the presence of one or more tight clumps (more than 50 in number) of lymphocytes (type of white blood cell). These clumps of lymphocytes are called foci and their approximate density in the tissue is called a “focus score”. The lip biopsy may reveal other types of glandular inflammation and point to alternative diagnoses, such as sarcoidosis, amyloidosis or lymphoma.
For more information about what to expect, how to prepare, and instructions for after the biopsy please follow this link: Lip Biopsy Info
