Plunging Ranula & Its Management - A Case Report

Abstract

A ranula is a type of mucocele found on the floor of the mouth. Ranulas present as a swelling of connective tissue consisting of collected mucin from a ruptured salivary gland duct, which is usually caused by local trauma. Since the etiology of ranula is unknown, treatment is still controversial. However, ranula has recently been speculated due to mucous extravasation into the ambient tissues from a traumatized sublingual gland or duct. Plunging ranula is far less frequently encountered than sublingual type. We report the case of plunging ranula of the 22-year-old female which the total resection of the ranula and sublingual gland was carried out without recurrence for 9 months. As treatment of plunging ranula, excision of the sublingual gland appears to he essential for cure, regardless of whether via intraoral or cervical approach. Intraoral excision is more advisable because of its less invasiveness.