Mucocele of the submandibular gland extended to the oral floor in a child

Abstract

Mucocele is a disorder of the accessory salivary glands, sometimes involving the sublingual gland. The literature reports very few cases of mucoceles of the submandibular glands. They are rare and uncommon. The etiologies of mucoceles are still not well understood. The clinical signs are not specific and the diagnosis remains histological, guided by CT or MRI. Cytology of the salivary glands remains useful for diagnosis and management. Treatment is mainly surgical. Minimally invasive surgery techniques have the advantage of reducing the risk of facial nerve damage. The authors report a case of giant mucocele of the submandibular gland extending to the floor of the mouth in a 09-year-old female patient and discuss the diagnosis and management.

Keywords

• Mucocele
• Submandibular gland
• Diagnosis