OBJECTIVE: To present a case of ranula in a pediatric patient treated with an unusual procedure. CASE REPORT: A 10-year-old girl presented with a swelling in the right side of the floor of the mouth and in the submandibular triangle of the neck, along with dysphagia for 1 month. The lesion was treated with simple drainage that led to complete remission. COMMENTS: A ranula is a pseudocyst caused by the extravasation of mucus from the sublingual glands; these are classified as intraoral, cervical, or plunging (extending into the neck through the mylohyoid muscle), and mixed. The diagnosis is made from the clinical appearance, but imaging studies are needed to evaluate the extent of the lesion. Most ranulas appear in the second or third decades of life. There are many approaches to the management of ranulas, but management protocols in pediatric patients is still based on protocols for adult patients. The literature suggests that simple drainage is ineffective, although it provided lasting relief in our case. Recurrence is a frequent complication, occurring more often in patients managed with less invasive approaches. The approach to the management of ranulas in pediatric patients, as well as in adult patients, needs to be studied further to develop more appropriate protocols.
