In one report, about 20% of individuals with mealtime syndrome had strictures upon sialography. For unknown reasons, strictures seem to be more common in females.

Strictures tend to be diagnosed based on difficulty with insertion and manipulation during sialendoscopy, or by sialography or ultrasound.

Involutional stenosis is probably the most common cause of NLD obstruction in older persons. It affects women twice as frequently as men. Although the inciting event in this process is unknown, clinicopathologic study suggests that compression of the lumen of the NLD is caused by inflammatory infiltrates and edema. This may be the result of an unidentified infection or possibly an autoimmune disease.

Dacryoliths or cast formation, within the lacrimal sac can also produce obstruction of the NLD.

In the Western world, about 15% of all people have gallstones in their gallbladder but the majority are unaware of this and have no symptoms. Over ten years, 15–26% will suffer one or more episodes of biliary colic (abdominal pain due to the passage of gallstones through the bile duct into the digestive tract), and 2–3% will develop complications of obstruction: acute pancreatitis, cholecystitis or acute cholangitis. Prevalence of gallstone disease increases with age and body mass index (a marker of obesity). However, the risk is also increased in those who lose weight rapidly (e.g. after weight loss surgery) due to alterations in the composition of the bile that makes it prone to form stones. Gallstones are slightly more common in women than in men, and pregnancy increases the risk further.

Sialolithiasis (also termed salivary calculi, or salivary stones), is a condition where a calcified mass or "sialolith" forms within a salivary gland, usually in the duct of the submandibular gland (also termed "Wharton's duct"). Less commonly the parotid gland or rarely the sublingual gland or a minor salivary gland may develop salivary stones.

The usual symptoms are pain and swelling of the affected salivary gland, both of which get worse when salivary flow is stimulated, e.g. with the sight, thought, smell or taste of food, or with hunger or chewing. This is often termed "mealtime syndrome". Inflammation or infection of the gland may develop as a result. Sialolithiasis may also develop because of the presence of existing chronic infection of the glands, dehydration (e.g. use of phenothiazines), Sjögren's syndrome and/or increased local levels of calcium, but in many instances the cause is idiopathic (unknown).

The condition is usually managed by removing the stone, and several different techniques are available. Rarely, removal of the submandibular gland may become necessary in cases of recurrent stone formation. Sialolithiasis is common, accounting for about 50% of all disease occurring in the major salivary glands and causing symptoms in about 0.45% of the general population. Persons aged 30–60 and males are more likely to develop sialolithiasis.

There are thought to be a series of stages that lead to the formation of a calculus ("lithogenesis"). Initially, factors such as abnormalities in calcium metabolism, dehydration, reduced salivary flow rate, altered acidity (pH) of saliva caused by oropharyngeal infections, and altered solubility of crystalloids, leading to precipitation of mineral salts, are involved. Other sources state that no systemic abnormality of calcium or phosphate metabolism is responsible.

The next stage involves the formation of a which is successively layered with organic and inorganic material, eventually forming a calcified mass. In about 15-20% of cases the sialolith will not be sufficiently calcified to appear radiopaque on a radiograph, and therefore be difficult to detect.

Other sources suggest a retrograde theory of lithogenesis, where food debris, bacteria or foreign bodies from the mouth enter the ducts of a salivary gland and are trapped by abnormalities in the sphincter mechanism of the duct opening (the papilla), which are reported in 90% of cases. Fragments of bacteria from salivary calculi were reported to be Streptococci species which are part of the normal oral microbiota and are present in dental plaque.

Stone formation occurs most commonly in the submandibular gland for several reasons. The concentration of calcium in saliva produced by the submandibular gland is twice that of the saliva produced by the parotid gland. The submandibular gland saliva is also relatively alkaline and mucous. The submandibular duct (Wharton's duct) is long, meaning that saliva secretions must travel further before being discharged into the mouth. The duct possesses two bends, the first at the posterior border of the mylohyoid muscle and the second near the duct orifice. The flow of saliva from the submandibular gland is often against gravity due to variations in the location of the duct orifice. The orifice itself is smaller than that of the parotid. These factors all promote slowing and stasis of saliva in the submandibular duct, making the formation of an obstruction with subsequent calcification more likely.

Salivary calculi sometimes are associated with other salivary diseases, e.g. sialoliths occur in two thirds of cases of chronic sialadenitis, although obstructive sialadenitis is often a consequence of sialolithiasis. Gout may also cause salivary stones, although in this case they are composed of uric acid crystals rather than the normal composition of salivary stones.

A salivary gland fistula (plural "fistulae") is a fistula (i.e. an abnormal, epithelial-lined tract) involving a salivary gland or duct.

Salivary gland fistulae are almost always related to the parotid gland or duct, although the submandibular gland is rarely the origin.

The fistula can communicate with the mouth (usually causing no symptoms), the paranasal sinuses (giving rhinorrhea) or the facial skin (causing saliva to drain onto the skin).

The usual cause is trauma, however salivary fistula can occur as a complication of surgery, or if the duct becomes obstructed with a calculus.

Most parotid fistulae heal by themselves within a few weeks.

Acute cholangitis carries a significant risk of death, the leading cause being irreversible shock with multiple organ failure (a possible complication of severe infections). Improvements in diagnosis and treatment have led to a reduction in mortality: before 1980, the mortality rate was greater than 50%, but after 1980 it was 10–30%. Patients with signs of multiple organ failure are likely to die unless they undergo early biliary drainage and treatment with systemic antibiotics. Other causes of death following severe cholangitis include heart failure and pneumonia.

Risk factors indicating an increased risk of death include older age, female gender, a history of liver cirrhosis, biliary narrowing due to cancer, acute renal failure and the presence of liver abscesses. Complications following severe cholangitis include renal failure, respiratory failure (inability of the respiratory system to oxygenate blood and/or eliminate carbon dioxide), cardiac arrhythmia, wound infection, pneumonia, gastrointestinal bleeding and myocardial ischemia (lack of blood flow to the heart, leading to heart attacks).

Sialectasis (also termed sialectasia, or siadochiectasis) is cystic dilation of the ducts of salivary glands. It may be caused by salivary duct strictures or stones (sialolithiasis). It can also rarely be congenital.

Frisch & Simonsen (2016) carried out a very large scale study in Denmark, which compared the incidence of meatal stenosis in Muslim males (mostly circumcised) with the incidence of meatal stenosis in ethnic Danish males (mostly non-circumcised). The risk of meatal stenosis in circumcised males was found to be as much 3.7 times higher than in the intact, non-circumcised males.

This is a rare condition, probably caused by an allergic reaction, in which there is sudden swelling of the salivary glands. It is associated with other allergic conditions such as asthma, urticaria, allergic rhinitis and food allergy.

Salivary gland atresia is congenital blockage or absence of the orifice of a major salivary gland duct or part of the duct itself.

It is a very rare condition. The submandibular salivary gland duct is usually involved, having failed to cannulate during embryological development. The condition first becomes apparent in the first few days after birth where a submandibular swelling caused by a retention cyst is noticed.

Pancreas or Pancreatic divisum is a congenital anomaly in the anatomy of the ducts of the pancreas in which a single pancreatic duct is not formed, but rather remains as two distinct dorsal and ventral ducts.

Numerous studies over a long period of time clearly indicate that male circumcision contributes to the development of urethral stricture. Among circumcised males, reported incidence of meatal stricture varies. Griffiths "et al". (1985) reported an incidence of 2.8 percent. Sörensen & Sörensen (1988) reported 0 percent. Cathcart "et al". (2006) reported an incidence of 0.55 percent. Yegane "et al". (2006) reported an incidence of 0.9 percent. Van Howe (2006) reported an incidence of 7.29 percent. In Van Howe's study, all cases of meatal stenosis were among circumcised boys. Simforoosh "et al". (2010) reported an incidence of 0.55 percent. According to Emedicine (2016), the incidence of meatal stenosis runs from 9 to 20 percent. Frisch & Simonsen (2016) placed the incidence at 5 to 20 percent of circumcised boys.

Duct ectasia of the breast or mammary duct ectasia or plasma cell mastitis is a condition in which the lactiferous duct becomes blocked or clogged. This is the most common cause of greenish discharge.

Mammary duct ectasia can mimic breast cancer. It is a disorder of peri- or post-menopausal age.

"Duct ectasia syndrome" is a synonym for nonpuerperal mastitis but the term has also been occasionally used to describe special cases of fibrocystic diseases, mastalgia or as a wastebasket definition of benign breast disease.

Correlation of duct widening with the "classical" symptoms of duct ectasia syndrome is unclear. However, duct widening was recently very strongly correlated with noncyclic breast pain.

Duct diameter is naturally variable, subject to hormonal interactions. Duct ectasia syndrome in the classical meaning is associated with additional histological changes.

Oral mucocele (also termed mucous retention cyst, mucous extravasation cyst, mucous cyst of the oral mucosa, and mucous retention and extravasation phenomena) is a clinical term that refers to two related phenomena:

- Mucus extravasation phenomenon

- Mucus retention cyst

The former is a swelling of connective tissue consisting of a collection of fluid called mucin. This occurs because of a ruptured salivary gland duct usually caused by local trauma (damage), in the case of mucus extravasation phenomenon, and an obstructed or ruptured salivary duct (parotid duct) in the case of a mucus retention cyst. The mucocele has a bluish translucent color, and is more commonly found in children and young adults.

Although the term cyst is often used to refer to these lesions, mucoceles are not strictly speaking true cysts because there is no epithelial lining. Rather, it would be more accurate to classify mucoceles as polyps (i.e. a lump).

The duct widening is commonly believed to be a result of secretory stasis, including stagnant colostrum, which also causes periductal inflammation and fibrosis. However, because nonspecific duct widening is common it might be also coincidental finding in many processes.

Smokers seem more often affected by duct ectasia "syndrome" although the reported results are not entirely consistent. The correlation with smoking status appears weaker than for subareolar abscess. Correlation with the actual duct widening is not known.

Both duct widening and duct ectasia syndrome are frequently bilateral, hence systemic causes are likely involved.

While stones can frequently pass through the common bile duct (CBD) into the duodenum, some stones may be too large to pass through the CBD and may cause an obstruction. One risk factor for this is duodenal diverticulum.

Sialodochitis (also termed ductal sialadenitis), is inflammation of the duct system of a salivary gland. This is compared to sialadenitis, which is inflammation of the gland parenchyma.

Sialodochitis may be associated with salivary duct strictures and salivary stones.

It is common in both the parotid glands and submandibular glands.

The treatment is as for sialadenitis.

Pancreas divisum in individuals with no symptoms does not require treatment. Treatment of those with symptoms varies and has not been well established. A surgeon may attempt a sphincterotomy by cutting the minor papilla to enlarge the opening and allow pancreatic enzymes to flow normally. During surgery, a stent may be inserted into the duct to ensure that the duct will not close causing a blockage. This surgery can cause pancreatitis in patients, or in rare cases, kidney failure and death.

An association with adenoma of the minor papilla has been reported.

Common bile duct stone, also known as choledocholithiasis, is the presence of gallstones in the common bile duct (thus "" + ""). This condition causes jaundice and liver cell damage. Treatment is by cholecystectomy and ERCP.

Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction may be suggested by pain which seems to come from a biliary origin, which may or may not be associated with transient increases of liver or pancreatic enzymes. Common bile duct dilation and episodes of pancreatitis are also signs.

Infections involving the salivary glands can be viral or bacterial (or rarely fungal).

- Mumps is the most common viral sialadenitis. It usually occurs in children, and there is preauricular pain (pain felt in front of the ear), swelling of the parotid, fever, chills, and headaches.

- Bacterial sialadentitis is usually caused by ascending organisms from the oral cavity. Risk factors include reduced salivary flow rate.

- Human immunodeficiency virus-associated salivary gland disease (HIV-SGD).

Two mechanisms are involved in the development of sphincter of Oddi dysfunction, either or both of which may be contributory to the condition: stenosis, or narrowing of the sphincter of Oddi (also termed papillary stenosis), and dyskinesia, or alteration in the function of the sphincter of Oddi (also termed biliary dyskinesia). Individuals with stenosis of the sphincter of Oddi typically have an elevated baseline pressure of the sphincter of Oddi, due to an anatomical problem that leads to narrowing of the sphincter, such as recurrent passage of gallstones through the ampulla of Vater, trauma to the sphincter from procedures such as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography or biliary surgery, or infections of the common bile duct. In contrast, dyskinesia of the sphincter of Oddi is a purely functional disorder, wherein there is intermittent obstruction of the bile duct due to inappropriate spasms. The reasons for dyskinesia of the sphincter of Oddi are not completely understood, but believed to be due to alteration in local gut hormones and peptides, such as cholecystokinin, which act on the sphincter or to altered neuronal control of the sphincter.