Plunging ranula: report of a case

Plunging ranula: surgical management of case series and the literature review

Plunging ranulas are rare; report of this condition is particularly limited in our environment. We present case series in children; with all cases having both oral and cervical components. It is important to note this type of presentation of plunging ranula and their appropriate management.

Plunging ranula: a case report

Plunging ranulas, also known as deep, diving, cervical or deep plunging ranula, usually appear in conjunction with oral ranula. Rarely, these ranulas may arise independent of oral swelling. A rare case of plunging ranula without oral swelling is discussed along with review of literature.

Treatment of ranula--excision of the sublingual gland versus marsupialization

The purpose of this work is to estimate optimum surgical treatment of ranula according to the type of the lesion. Nine patients with ranula surgically treated between 1989 and 2000 were investigated retrospectively. Six patients had sublingual type ranula and three had submandibular type. In five cases including recurrence cases, the sublingual gland was excised. Marsupialization was performed for four cases, which were superficial, protruded and within 2 cm of diameter. In all cases, histopathological diagnoses were pseudocysts without epithelial lining and there was no recurrence. Almost all ranulas are pseudocysts from the sublingual gland, therefore excision of the sublingual gland is considered to be a reasonable and radical treatment. For the small sublingual type, which is superficial, protruding and smaller than 2 cm in diameter, marsupialization is also a useful modification of surgical treatment of ranula.

The plunging ranula

Five cases of "plunging ranula" are reported. In one case, treatment consisted of exteriorization and obturation by a removable, partial-denture-like splint. A second case was treated by total removal of both the ranula and the sublingual gland by a combined extraoral-intraoral approach. In the other three cases, treatment consisted of excision of the sublingual gland and marsupialization of the cyst by an intraoral approach. Since a plunging ranula is due to extravasation from the sublingual gland herniating through the mylohyoid muscle, excision of the sublingual gland followed by transoral drainage of the plunging ranula is regarded as the best treatment.

Plunging ranula: a bilateral presentation

A patient is described with bilateral plunging ranulae which arose asynchronously and solely as cervical swellings. The diagnostic difficulties caused by the clinical presentation and the different treatment modalities are discussed.

The plunging ranula. Pathogenesis, diagnosis and management

Ranulas are cysts resulting from retention, or extravasation of saliva from the sublingual gland. Two varieties are described: a superficial or oral ranula and a cervical or plunging ranula. The plunging ranula is located below the mylohyoid muscle and may present as a swelling in the upper part of the neck. Four cases are described to illustrate that this condition can be the cause of a neck swelling. Aetiology, differential diagnosis and surgical management are also discussed. Recurrences are mainly due to unfamiliarity with this phenomenon and ignorance of its aetiology. Successful treatment of the plunging ranula consists of excision of the ipsilateral sublingual salivary gland, which is the source of this disorder, and intra-oral evacuation of the pseudocyst of the neck swelling. There is no need for an extensive neck dissection of the cervical extension.