A digital manual for the early diagnosis of oral neoplasia
Ranula
Ranula is a form of mucous retention cyst of the ducts of the sublingual glands. It develops as a painless slowly enlarging mass on one side of the floor of mouth and, if superficial, is translucent bluish in colour. It may rupture, discharging foul tasting material, which can be a nuisance. This will not cause any major health problem. Deroofing the lesion rather than total excision is the treatment of choice.
Figure 1: A 3x5 cm smooth bluish-white cystic swelling in the left side of the floor of mouth in this 53–year-old man. The mucosa over the swelling was stretched. The lesion is clinically suggestive of ranula.