Ranula

A salivary mucocoele results from a tear in the salivary duct system somewhere along its course allowing saliva to accumulate in tissues. There are several clinical presentations of this condition. They are defined as ventral cervical (swelling in ventral neck), pharyngeal (swelling in the oropharynx) and the ranula (swelling under the tongue). All three of these forms are treated by mandibular and sublingual sialadenectomy). Marsupialization has been used for Ranulas and Pharyngeal mucocoeles. This technique can work only if a chronic salivary fistula persists after surgery. More often it scars closed and the mucocoele recurs. Zygomatic mucocoeles occur in the orbit and present with exophthalmous. These must be differentiated from orbital neoplasia, orbital abscess, orbital hematoma or glaucoma.