Management of Oral Mucoceles and Ranulas
Summary
Oral mucoceles and ranulas represent benign accumulations of mucous arising from minor and major salivary glands, respectively. Mucoceles commonly present as bluish, fluctuant nodules on the lower lip or buccal mucosa and are typically managed by complete excision or laser ablation to minimise recurrence and preserve surrounding ducts. Ranulas occur in the floor of the mouth, often as plunging lesions extending beyond the mylohyoid muscle, and pose greater challenges due to their proximity to Wharton’s duct and vital neurovascular structures. Traditional management of ranulas has relied on excision of the lesion together with the offending sublingual gland via intraoral or transcervical approaches, achieving low recurrence but carrying risks of haemorrhage and nerve injury. In recent years, less invasive alternatives—such as marsupialisation with adjunctive agents, percutaneous drainage with chemical ablation, sclerotherapy and laser techniques—have expanded the therapeutic armamentarium. Selection of the optimal intervention depends on lesion size, location, patient age and risk of recurrence, with tailored strategies enhancing functional outcomes and patient comfort on a global scale.
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Management of Oral Mucoceles and Ranulas publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in management of oral mucoceles and ranulas across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Mucocele: A mucous extravasation cyst arising from rupture or obstruction of a minor salivary gland duct.
Ranula: A pseudocyst in the floor of the mouth originating from extravasated saliva of the sublingual gland, often extending into cervical spaces.
Marsupialisation: Surgical creation of a permanent opening by suturing the cyst wall to adjacent mucosa, allowing continuous drainage.
Sclerotherapy: Injection of a sclerosing agent into a cystic lesion to induce fibrosis and obliteration of the lumen.
Laser ablation: Use of concentrated light energy to vaporise or excise soft-tissue lesions with precision and haemostatic control.
References
- New Conservative Approach for the Management of Recurrent Sublingual Ranula—A Case Report. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2023).
- Percutaneous treatment of ranulas: ultrasound-guided drainage with salivary gland chemical ablation. Pediatric Radiology (2019).
- The Effectiveness of Lasers in Treatment of Oral Mucocele in Pediatric Patients: A Systematic Review. Materials (2022).
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