Pathogenesis and treatment of plunging ranulas.

Three patients with plunging ranula, two of which occurred spontaneously and one of which followed removal of the submandibular gland, were treated by excision of the sublingual gland. The sublingual gland is removed through the mouth or through a cervical submandibular incision. No dissection of the cervical ramifications associated with the ranula is undertaken, and these disappear once the source of the extravasating saliva has been removed. Results of considerable experimental work reported by others, support the concept that plunging ranulas are extravasations of saliva from the sublingual glands.