• The mucus retention cyst appears as a superficial asymptomatic swelling that is usually not associated with a history of trauma. (medscape.com)
  • A cervical ranula presents as a swelling in the neck, with or without a swelling in the mouth. (wikipedia.org)
  • A cervical ranula occurs when the spilled mucin dissects its way through the mylohyoid muscle, which separates the sublingual space from the submandibular space, and creates a swelling in the neck. (wikipedia.org)
  • An unusual variant is the cervical ranula (also called a plunging or diving ranula), where the swelling is in the neck rather than the floor of the mouth. (wikipedia.org)
  • In individuals with a cervical ranula, an enlarging asymptomatic neck mass is reported. (medscape.com)
  • One fifth of patients with cervical ranula have only a cervical swelling, lacking an oral ranula or a history of an oral ranula. (medscape.com)
  • Regarding superficial mucoceles, trauma does not always appear to play an important role in the pathogenesis. (medscape.com)
  • Patients with superficial mucoceles report small fluid-filled vesicles on the soft palate, the retromolar pad, the posterior buccal mucosa, and, occasionally, the lower labial mucosa. (medscape.com)
  • Collectively, the mucocele, the oral ranula, and the cervical, or plunging, ranula are clinical terms for a pseudocyst that is associated with mucus extravasation into the surrounding soft tissues. (medscape.com)
  • Oral ranulas are secondary to mucus extravasation that pools superior to the mylohyoid muscle, whereas cervical ranulas are associated with mucus extravasation along the fascial planes of the neck. (medscape.com)
  • Specifically, the ranula originates in the body of the sublingual gland, in the ducts of Rivini of the sublingual gland, and, infrequently from the minor salivary glands at this location. (medscape.com)
  • Infection Repeated trauma Bursting and reformation Dysphagia (in the case of a large ranula) Minor trauma to the floor of the mouth is thought to damage the delicate ducts that drain saliva from the sublingual gland into the oral cavity. (wikipedia.org)
  • Although most oral ranulas originate from the secretions of the sublingual gland, they may develop from the secretions of the submandibular gland duct or the minor salivary glands on the floor of the mouth. (medscape.com)
  • The mucus extravasation of the sublingual gland almost exclusively causes cervical ranulas. (medscape.com)
  • The source of mucin content in ranulas is usually the sublingual gland (also occasionally from the submandibular gland duct). (msdmanuals.com)
  • Fine-needle aspiration of the contents of oral and cervical ranulas may be helpful in the diagnosis prior to excision and subsequent surgery. (medscape.com)
  • Oral and cervical ranulas require complete excision of the oral portion of the ranula, in addition to the responsible gland. (medscape.com)
  • Surgical excision with the submission of the tissue for histopathologic examination is the treatment of choice for persistent oral mucoceles and ranulas. (medscape.com)
  • Ranula in a dog excision of both mandibular and major sublingual glands in a dog Kahn, Michael A. Basic Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology. (wikipedia.org)
  • Mucoceles, which are of minor salivary gland origin, are also referred to as mucus retention phenomenon and mucus escape reaction. (medscape.com)
  • Background: Mucoceles are benign lesions related to the minor salivary glands and their respective ducts frequently affecting oral structures which are generally asymptomatic. (unesp.br)
  • This photo shows a labial mucocele, a benign mass consisting of a swollen sac filled with mucus. (msdmanuals.com)
  • A ranula can develop into a large lesion many centimeters in diameter, with resultant elevation of the tongue and possibly interfering with swallowing (dysphagia). (wikipedia.org)
  • In large cervical ranulas, dysphagia and respiratory distress may be the chief complaints. (medscape.com)
  • A ranula usually presents as a translucent, blue, dome-shaped, fluctuant swelling in the tissues of the floor of the mouth. (wikipedia.org)
  • Mucoceles are often fluctuant, although some can feel firmer to palpation. (msdmanuals.com)
  • Although trauma to the floor of the mouth or neck region is thought to be associated with the development of a ranula, a specific incidence is usually not identified. (medscape.com)
  • Ranulas are mucoceles that occur in the floor of the mouth and usually involve the major salivary glands. (medscape.com)
  • It may occur following rupture of a simple ranula. (wikipedia.org)
  • Ranulas are mucoceles that occur in the floor of the mouth (generally larger than mucoceles that occur elsewhere in the oral cavity). (msdmanuals.com)
  • When oral ranulas are large, the tongue may place pressure on the lesion, which may interfere with submandibular salivary flow. (medscape.com)
  • Ranulae may be asymptomatic, although they can fluctuate rapidly in size, shrinking and swelling, making them difficult to detect. (wikipedia.org)
  • Mucoceles are painless, asymptomatic swellings that have a relatively rapid onset and fluctuate in size. (medscape.com)
  • The term ranula is also sometimes used to refer to other similar swellings of the floor of mouth such as true salivary duct cysts, dermoid cysts and cystic hygromas. (wikipedia.org)
  • Tumors usually presented as asymptomatic swellings. (bvsalud.org)
  • Mucoceles usually require excisional biopsy and removal of the servicing minor salivary glands. (medscape.com)
  • A small squamous cell carcinoma obstructing the Wharton duct may require clinical examination to be distinguished from a ranula. (wikipedia.org)
  • The clinical features associated with mucoceles include a nontender, mobile, dome-shaped enlargement with intact epithelium that lies over it. (medscape.com)
  • Congenital anomalies, such as ductal atresia or failure of canalization of the excretory ducts, may contribute to the development of ranulas in infants. (medscape.com)
  • The superficial mucocele, a special variant, has features that resemble a mucocutaneous disease. (medscape.com)
  • These lesions are divided into 2 types: oral ranulas and cervical or plunging ranulas. (medscape.com)
  • If small and asymptomatic further treatment may not be needed, otherwise minor oral surgery may be indicated. (wikipedia.org)
  • Individuals with an oral ranula may complain of swelling of the floor of the mouth that is usually painless. (medscape.com)
  • Besides ductal disruption, partial or total excretory duct obstruction is involved in the pathogenesis of ranulas in some instances. (medscape.com)
  • The recurrence of other fluid types or a solid mass with the failure to aspirate fluid indicates that a mass other than a ranula may have been encountered. (medscape.com)
  • The fluid within a ranula has the viscous, jellylike consistency of egg white. (wikipedia.org)
  • The development of mucoceles and ranulas depend on the disruption of the flow of saliva from the secretory apparatus of the salivary glands. (medscape.com)
  • Studies have revealed increased levels of matrix metalloproteins, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, type IV collagenase, and plasminogen activators in mucoceles compared with that of whole saliva. (medscape.com)
  • A ranula is a type of mucocele, and therefore could be classified as a disorder of the salivary glands. (wikipedia.org)
  • The lower lip was the site most frequently affected by the lesions (n = 135, 78.03%), whereas the lowest prevalence was observed for the soft palate, buccal mucosa, and lingual frenum.Conclusion: In this study, mucoceles predominated in white female subjects in the second decade of life, with the lower lip being the most frequently affected site. (unesp.br)
  • In common with other mucoceles, ranulae may rupture and then cause recurrent swelling. (wikipedia.org)