Plunging ranula: An interesting case report

Abdul Bagi Mustafa, Kamran Bokhari, Master Luqman, Mohammad Shahul Hameed, Zaheer Kota

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dentistry, King Khalid University, Abha, KSA.
Oral Medicine & Radiology, College of Dentistry, King Khalid University, Abha, KSA.
Oral Pathology, College of Dentistry, King Khalid University, Abha, KSA.

DOI: 10.4236/ojst.2013.31022                

Abstract

Background: Ranula is a retention cyst of the sublingual gland, which enlarges progressively and extends into the surrounding soft tissues. The name “ranula” is derived from the Latin word “rana” meaning “frog”. These represent for 6% of all oral sialocysts. Two variants have described in the literature: simple oral ranula and the deep diving or plunging ranula. The plunging ranula has the potential to spread into deeper parapharyngeal spaces and presents a diagnostic dilemma due to its clinical similarity with other neck masses such as cystic hygroma, thyroglossal duct cyst, intramuscular hemangioma, cystic/neoplastic thyroid disease, branchial cyst. We report a case of large oral ranula involving the floor of mouth treated successfully by surgical excision. Case Report: This case report involves an unusually large ranula involving right floor of the mouth in a 30-year-old female patient. Following detailed clinical examination, radiological interpretation and histopathological diagnosis, surgical excision was performed along with the involved sublingual gland. The patient was followed up on a regular basis and was disease free. Summary and Conclusion: The best treatment for an oral/simple ranula is excision of the lesion along with the involved gland. This case report involving the floor of the mouth, is interesting and unique due to its unusually large size and the complete treatment rendered by us i.e., excision of the lesion along with the involved sublingual gland and the subsequent confirmation with the histopathological findings.

Keywords

Ranula; Salivary Gland; Oral Swelling

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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