Diagnostic Difficulties of Plunging Ranula: A Review of 18 Cases.

OBJECTIVE(S): Despite advancements in imaging techniques and cytological analysis, plunging ranula remains a challenging surgical, radiologic, and pathologic phenomenon. Of the 18 patients we evaluated at our institution, we highlight three cases that illustrate the high rate of misleading imaging and cytological results when assessing plunging ranula. METHODS: Imaging results, biopsy findings, operative techniques, and pathological reports were reviewed from patients who had either a preoperative or postoperative diagnosis of ranula and underwent surgery by a single head and neck surgeon at a tertiary care center. RESULTS: Of the 18 identified patients, computed tomography was correct on preoperative imaging 73% of the time and magnetic resonance imaging was correct on preoperative imaging 71% of the time. Two patients underwent preoperative ultrasound and their ultrasound reports did not accurately diagnose the presence of a ranula. Two patients underwent preoperative fine needle aspiration biopsy due to inconclusive preoperative imaging, in which results suggested either a ranula or epidermal cyst. Both ultimately did not match the final pathology. Three of eighteen patients (17%) underwent an inappropriate initial surgery due to incorrect imaging diagnoses and/or biopsy findings. CONCLUSION: Despite use of preoperative modalities to distinguish plunging ranula from other cystic floor of mouth lesions, surgeons must be aware that no workup modality is fully precise. The potential for revision surgery must be included in all preoperative discussions for presumed plunging ranula. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 134:2689-2696, 2024.

New Conservative Approach for the Management of Recurrent Sublingual Ranula-A Case Report.

Ranula is a rare and benign extravasation mucocele that is clinically characterized by asymptomatic sublingual or submandibular masses. Surgical excision is considered the most effective treatment approach, but it has been associated with high invasiveness and several complications (hemorrhage, damage to Wharton's duct, and lingual nerve injury). Over the past decade, more conservative therapies have been rapidly disseminated into clinical practice to seek a more effective and less traumatic approach for young patients. In this report, an 8-year-old female with an asymptomatic, recurrent sublingual ranula was treated using a conservative approach with marsupialization and an intracystic injection of a plaque remover (Hybenx® gel). After incision of the cystic dome, Hybenx® gel was applied into the cystic lumen for 20 seconds and then aspirated; next, the area was rinsed thoroughly with sterile saline solution before suturing. Ultrasound re-evaluation at 10 months and intraoral clinical examination at 24 months confirmed the absence of relapse. Our results support the hypothesis that marsupialization combined with intracystic injection of Hybenx® gel could be an encouraging conservative treatment alternative for recurrent sublingual ranula in children. Further randomized controlled trials are needed to test this hypothesis.

Amylase as a Diagnostic Tool for Plunging Ranula: Clinical Series and Description of the Technique.

OBJECTIVES: This study describes a technique of measurement for neck cyst amylase content and reviews the experience of a tertiary referral center for cases of suspected plunging ranula. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed at the Manukau Surgical Center in Auckland, New Zealand. Patients with a possible diagnosis of plunging ranula based on clinical presentation and diagnostic aspiration of the cyst contents were included. Demographic data, imaging and laboratory findings were collected, along with findings from surgery and histology. The technique for measuring the amylase of the aspirated cyst contents was also carefully recorded. RESULTS: The 37 cases of confirmed plunging ranula included in this study had a submandibular cystic swelling that was aspirated. Imaging features consistent with a plunging ranula were seen in 89% of the study group. All cases had detectable levels of amylase of ≥3 U/L in the ranula contents. There was large variability (range: 5-560 U/L) in the concentration of amylase, with 70% of the cases demonstrating an amylase concentration below 200 U/L. Aspirates were typically described as viscous (87.5%) and yellow or straw-colored. CONCLUSION: The combination of clinical presentation, imaging and the presence of amylase in the cyst contents is diagnostic for plunging ranula. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 133:535-538, 2023.

[Little frog in the mouth: a visual diagnosis?] / Fröschlein im Mund: eine Blickdiagnose?

Ranula, from the Latin "little frog", is a retention cyst filled with saliva in the oral cavity. Simple ranulas most commonly affect the sublingual gland and typically present as a hemispherical bluish cyst on the floor of the mouth, making it a visual diagnosis. A 7-year-old girl presented with a swelling on the underside of the tongue, an uncommon location for a ranula that made diagnostic assignment difficult. The optimal treatment of a ranula is still controversial in the literature. Many authors favor surgery as the treatment of choice. Our case shows that a watch and wait approach with simple mechanical pressure on the cyst can be sufficient.

Ranula in children: Retrospective study of 25 years and literature review of the plunging variable.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article was to conduct a 25-year retrospective study within an oral surgery department, on the incidence of the ranula in children and its ideal treatment, associated with a literature review on the plunging ranula in pediatrics. METHODS: A retrospective review of the medical records of pediatric patients (0-12 years) from 1995 to 2020 was performed in an oral surgery department in Maringá/Brazil. The examined data included age of the patients, sex, clinical signs, time of evolution and follow-up, complementary exams, type of ranula, diagnostic hypothesis, surgical procedures and accesses, complications and recurrence. In addition, a literature review was carried out on the plunging ranula in children, using the MEDLINE database, from 1995 to 2020, with the search terms: "PLUNGING RANULA" OR "CERVICAL RANULA. A PICOS was established and PRISMA standards were followed. RESULTS: In the retrospective study, of the 11 patients found, 10 were with simple ranulas and only 1 with plunging ranula. All patients were approached by intraoral access, and conservative treatments had higher recurrence rates. The case of plunging ranula was treated by intraoral resection of the sublingual gland and saliva drainage, and obtained good results with 15 years of follow-up. In the literature review, 372 articles were found, which 10 were qualitatively selected after inclusion and exclusion criteria. Excision of the sublingual gland was the most prevalent procedure, and intraoral and extraoral accesses had the same incidence, despite the fact that the last one had higher percentages of complications. CONCLUSION: The treatment of ranulas is variable; however, it is proven that conservative methods have higher rates of recurrence. As for the plunging ranula, resection of the sublingual gland through intraoral access, associated with mucus leakage, is considered a safe and effective treatment.

A rare case of congenital ranula.

Simple ranula is a cystic swelling confined to the floor of mouth while plunging ranula presents with extension to the neck. Congenital ranula presenting with symptoms of feeding difficulties is a very rare occurrence. There is paucity of literature regarding the management of large congenital ranula. Varied treatment options are described for the management of ranula with variable recurrence rate. In paediatric and adult patients, ranula is considered as a type of extravasation cyst and removal of sublingual gland is advocated to remove the sources of extravasation. Congenital ranula is usually a variant of retention cyst and should be treated with marsupialisation or simple excision of cyst while cyst excision with sublingual sialadenectomy should be reserved for recurrent cases.

Bilateral Plunging Ranulas in South Auckland: Evidence for a Genetic Basis.

OBJECTIVES: We present a series of bilateral plunging ranula patients to examine the etiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of this condition. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed on all cases of plunging ranula treated at the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Counties Manukau District Health Board, New Zealand, between 2001 and 2019. RESULTS: There were 17 patients with bilateral plunging ranulas from a total of 187 plunging ranula patients. Eight patients were of Pacific Island descent; six were Maori; and three were Asian. There were no European patients with bilateral plunging ranulas. There were three types of bilateral plunging ranula patients: 1) Metachronous plunging ranulas-Five patients presented with a unilateral plunging ranula with no evidence of a contralateral plunging ranula on initial imaging. Despite negative contralateral imaging findings, these patients developed a clinically evident contralateral plunging ranula 21 to 61 months later. 2) Synchronous plunging ranulas detected on imaging-Eight patients presented with a clinically evident unilateral plunging ranula but also had a contralateral plunging ranula detected on imaging. 3) Clinically evident synchronous plunging ranulas-Four patients presented with bilateral clinically evident plunging ranulas, which were also evident on imaging. Twelve patients underwent bilateral transoral sublingual gland excision and plunging ranula evacuation. CONCLUSION: All patients with a unilateral plunging ranula should be advised of the potential for developing contralateral disease, and this should be emphasized in patients of Pacific Island, Maori, and Asian descent. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 131:73-77, 2021.

Pediatric sublingual dermoid and epidermoid cysts: A 20-year institutional review.

INTRODUCTION: Pediatric cystic sublingual masses often present a diagnostic dilemma for practitioners. Though uncommon, dermoid or epidermoid cysts can present in the sublingual space at any age and are often misdiagnosed as an inflammatory pseudocyst (ranula) or lymphatic malformation. Imaging may not always identify the underlying etiology, requiring physicians to maintain a high index of suspicion for these relatively rare oral cysts. OBJECTIVES: To describe the presentation and treatment of sublingual dermoid and epidermoid cysts presenting to a tertiary children's hospital over 20 years. METHODS: A retrospective review of all pathology specimens identified as dermoid or epidermoid cysts within the sublingual space from 1999 to 2019. Patient charts were then reviewed for relevant clinical, imaging, and operative data. RESULTS: Twelve pediatric patients were identified (8 female, 4 male) with a mean age of 7.2 years (SD 5.6). Eighty six percent (6/7) of dermoid cysts were found in female patients, while 60% (3/5) of epidermoid cysts were in male patients. Multiple dermoid and epidermoid cysts were each found in one patient (8%). Two epidermoid cysts presented in the neonatal period. Preoperative diagnosis included nondiagnostic "cystic mass" (33%), ranula (25%), lymphatic malformation (LM) (17%), and dermoid/epidermoid cyst (17%). Two thirds of patients (8/12) underwent imaging, with all receiving either MRI or CT. Although MRI was the most likely to suggest the possibility of a dermoid/epidermoid cyst (2/4), ranula was the most common primary radiographic diagnosis (5/8). One patient underwent sclerotherapy for presumed LM one year prior to surgical excision of the cyst. Eleven patients (92%) underwent intraoral excision, one (8.3%) underwent a combined intraoral/extraoral approach. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this review represents the largest case series of pediatric sublingual dermoid and epidermoid cysts to date. This series contained higher levels of epidermoid cysts and female patients than previously reported in the literature. Identifying more dermoid cysts in females and epidermoid cysts in males is also a new finding. MRI was superior to CT and US regarding the presence of a dermoid/epidermoid cyst. Frequently misdiagnosed, it is important to consider these relatively rare pathologies when treating children presenting with sublingual masses in order to avoid delayed and/or inappropriate treatment.

The anatomical basis and rational for the transoral approach during the surgical excision of the sublingual salivary gland for the management of plunging ranula.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to illustrate and confirm that the complete intraoral excision of the sublingual gland alone, is anatomically the most rational approach, for the management of plunging ranula. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed clinical charts of diagnosed HIV-infected patients presenting with plunging ranula. The intraoral approach was used for the complete excision of the sublingual gland with evacuation of the pseudocystic content only. Neither extra oral approach, nor ranula dissection / drainage was performed. The surgical procedure was performed using local anesthesia. Pre- and postoperative MRI-scan investigations were recorded. Histological reports were documented to confirm the diagnosis of oral mucocele. Patients were clinically monitored. RESULTS: We identified 90 adults presenting with oral mucocele, type ranula. Seventy (77%) of them were diagnosed with HIV infection. Plunging ranula was recorded in 35 (50%) patients from the latter group. The study enrolled 11 operated patients whose files contained useable data, including an acceptable follow-up period. The postoperative follow-up period ranged from three to 15 months. The clinical and postoperative MRI-scans of operated patients demonstrated satisfactory results. There were neither postoperative complications nor recurrence of ranula reported. CONCLUSION: The location of the sublingual gland in the floor of the mouth coupled with the physio-pathogenesis of the plunging ranula, makes the transoral complete excision of the offending gland, with the intraoral evacuation of the pseudocyst, anatomically the most rational approach for plunging ranula management. There is no need for cervical approach, ranula dissection and/or postoperative placement of drainage.

Prenatal Diagnosis and Intrapartum Management of Congenital Ranula.

A foetal sublingual cystic lesion was diagnosed by routine prenatal ultrasonography at 27 weeks of gestation. Foetal growth and amniotic fluid volume were normal. An ex utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) procedure was performed, and the cyst was aspirated to allow breathing during planned Caesarean section. The cyst was totally excised when the newborn was 60 days old, and histopathological examination revealed a mucous cyst of the mouth floor.

Midline cervical swellings: What a paediatrician needs to know.

Midline cervical swellings are a heterogeneous group of conditions in children. Careful clinical examination will allow a diagnosis to be made in many instances and appropriate investigations to be performed before referral to surgical services. The approach to clinical examination, investigation and management of the most common conditions is described.

Management of Ranula in a Child by Modified Micro-Marsupialization Technique: A Case Report.

Ranulas pose a challenging situation, both clinically and surgically, because of their location on the floor of the mouth, an area that exhibits tightly-netted vital structures. Several treatments have been proposed, including excision with or without removal of the sublingual gland, marsupialization with or without cauterization of the roof of the lesion, drainage of the lesion, and micro-marsupialization. It has been suggested that a modified micro-marsupialization technique can establish drainage of saliva and formation of new permanent epithelized tracts along the path of sutures, thereby reducing the recurrence. This paper presents a report of a ranula in a 12 year-old child that was successfully managed using a modified micro-marsupialization procedure.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia in association with a ranula: a report and review of the literature.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), an indolent neoplasm of B lymphocytes, is the most common adult leukemia in the Western Hemisphere. Despite this, however, the intraoral presentation of CLL is quite rare. We report the case of an 83-year-old woman with CLL incidentally involving minor salivary glands in association with a ranula (floor-of-mouth mucocele).

Point-of-Care Ultrasound to Diagnose a Simple Ranula.

In the following vignette we demonstrate the use of point-of-care ultrasound to diagnose a simple ranula.

Pediatric epidermoid cysts masquerading as ranulas: A case series.

Pediatric neck masses represent a variety of differential diagnoses. A common pathology in pediatric cystic neck tumors include ranulas, mucus retention cysts due to salivary gland obstruction. Epidermoid cysts are lesions infrequently encountered in the pediatric population and may appear similarly to ranulas on computed tomography imaging. MRI more easily differentiates these masses, and should therefore be the preferred imaging modality. Due to their distinct intraoperative management, ranulas and epidermoid cysts should be distinguished preoperatively through proper workup.

[Plunging ranula. Review]. / Ranulas à expression cervicale. Mise au point.

INTRODUCTION: Ranula is a pseudocyst of the sublingual gland, often of unknown etiology. In few cases, it can extend to the neck when passing through the mylohyoid muscle. Diagnosis is not always easy as other cervical cystic lesions may have the same clinical aspect. Some ranulas recur after removal. The aim of our study was to conduct a review about plunging ranulas, with a focus on the most useful paraclinical exams and the most effective treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A review of the literature has been conducted in the PubMed database between 2015 and 2010 using following keywords: plunging ranula, recurrent plunging ranula. RESULTS: Thirteen articles reporting 37 cases of plunging ranulas have been selected. Among these cases, 3 recurred. Paraclinical exams consisted in US, CT scan and MRI. Main reported treatment was sublingual gland removal, sometime associated with marsupialization. DISCUSSION: The most useful paraclinical exam is CT scan. Total sublingual gland removal is the most efficient treatment.