RANNULA=”FROG BELLY APPEARANCE”—-SIALOCELE—-PTYALOCELE
A SUBLINGUAL GLAND (FOM) RETENTION CYST(MUCOCELE) (USUALLY FROM DUCTAL OBSTRUCTION)
SMALLEST, ALMOND SIZE, 5% OF SALIVA
BLOOD SUPPLY = Br OF THE LINGUAL ARTERY
2/3 MUCOUS, 1/3 SEROUS
SUP. SALIVATORY NUCLEUS–CN VII(NERVUS INTERMEDIUS)–CHORDA TYMPANI–SUBMANDIBULAR GANGLION(LOXLEY’S/LANGLEY’S)–POST GANGLIONICS
IMMEDIATELY ON MYLOHYOID MUSCLE IN FOM(NEAR SYMPHYSIS OF MANDIBLE)
NO DISCRETE CAPSULE (NOT INVESTED BY SUP. DCF)
NUMEROUS DUCTS OF RIVINUS(POST TO WHARTONS)–OCCASIONALLY COALESC TO FORM BARTHOLIN’S DUCT—EMPTY ON LINGUAL PLICAE(PLICAE SUBLINGULARIS
USUALLY THE ORIGIN OF A RANULA—-SHOULD REMOVE IT TO PREVENT RECURRENCE!
PLUNGING RANULA—DIVES THROUGH THE MYLOHYOID–PRESENTS AS A SUBMENTAL MASS—-MAY REQUIRE AN EXTERNAL APPROACH
MOST SOURCES SAY TO EXCISE SUBLINGUAL GLAND OF ORIGIN TO PREVENT RECURRENCE