Sublingual-plunging ranula as a complication of supraomohyoid neck dissection

Abstract

Ranulas are rare cystic lesions resulting from damage or rupture of one or more of the ducts of the sublingual gland, that lead to mucus extravasation or dilatation of the gland's duct. Extravasation cysts are more common than retention cysts. We present a case of a 45-year-old male with a squamous cell carcinoma of the ventral surface of the tongue that was treated with excision of the oral lesion and bilateral supraomohyoid neck dissection without supplementary radiotherapy. A left myocutaneous platysma flap was raised for defect closure. Ten months postoperatively he presented complaining of swelling of the right submandibular region. The diagnosis, based on his medical anamnesis and the CT imaging, was a sublingual-plunging ranula. It is postulated that the ranula resulted from damage to the ducts of the sublingual gland during selective neck dissection. One year postoperatively there are no signs of recurrence either of the ranula or of the cancer. We suggest that sublingual gland excision and intraoral cyst marsupialization is a logical treatment for sublingual-plunging ranulas.