Mucocèle de la lèvre inférieure: rapport de cas et revue de la littérature / Lower lip mucocele: case report and review of literature

A mucocele is a mucus-filled, variable-sized, cavity that can appear as a nodule in the oral mucosa. It's a very common exophytic lesion resulting from a salivary accumulation, due to an alteration of the minor salivary gland.They can be categorized according to their etiology they may occur from extravasation or retention of the secretion.The main one is the extravasation mucocele caused by traumatic rupture of the gland's epithelium spilling out the mucus in the extra-glandular space. The mechanical trauma can be caused by lip biting habits or by a cutting tooth in constant contact with the lip. [1] The collection then triggers an immune reaction in the mucosa with swelling, leading to the formation of granulation tissue with inflammatory cells. At this point, there is a pseudo capsule with no epithelialized lining defining a pseudocyst. [2] However, the retention cyst is a true cyst due to an epithelial proliferation of the exit ducts that generates an obstruction of the salivary flow. [2] Treatment options for mucoceles involve surgical resection, marsupialization, cryosurgery, steroid injection. The surgical excision remains the gold standard therapy for this lesion, but relapse might happen (8.8% on the labial/buccal mucosa). [3]