Ranula in an infant

ABSTRACT

ranula is a form of mucocele which specifically occurs in the floor of the mouth. The ranula is classfied into simple ranula and plunging ranula according to the mechanism of development such as the salivary duct obstruction or the extravasation. Clinically this lesion develops as a slowly enlarging painless, fluctuant mass on one side of the floor of the mouth and the mucosa may have a translucent bluish color. An 8-month-old male infant visited our hospital with the chief complaint of the left submandibular swelling and the mass on the floor of the mouth. We tentatively diagnosed a simple ranula.The marsupialization was performed but the sign and the symptom did not subside, so we took the MRI. By the MRI we diagnosed a plunging ranula and excised the sublingual gland via the intraoral approach. The correct diagnosis is essential for the most effective treatment,which is the excision of the sublingual gland.