Plunging Ranula in a 78- year- old male - A rare case report

Abstract

The term Ranula is a Latin word meaning frog. It refers to a bluish translucent cystic lesion in the floor of the mouth resembling the underbelly of a frog. Ranulas can be true cysts occurring due to ductal obstruction of the sublingual gland or a minor salivary gland or a pseudocyst as a result of ductal injury leading to extravasation and accumulation of saliva in the surrounding tissues. Clinically ranulas present as intraoral or plunging ranulas. The prevalence of ranula is 0.2% per 1000 patients Ranulas account for 6% of all salivary gland cysts. Ranulas are more common in children and young adults. However the plunging type occurs most commonly in the later third decade. The diagnosis of plunging ranula is based on a combined clinical,radiographic imaging and histologic findings. The treatment of ranulas have always been controversial.The treatment modalities range from simple marsupialisation to excision of the pseudocyst along with sublingual or submandibular gland excision.The purpose of this paper is to present a rare case of plunging ranula and to highlight the importance of considering plunging ranula in the differential diagnosis of lesions of the neck.