Minimally invasive treatment of oral ranula with a mucosal tunnel.

We have developed a new method for minimally-invasive treatment of uncomplicated oral ranulas using a mucosal tunnel, and we report the clinical outcome. We constructed a mucosal tunnel for each of 35 patients who presented with an oral ranula, by making 2 parallel incisions across the top of the protruding ranula 2-3mm apart, and dissected the soft tissue along the incisions to its wall. The fluid was removed and the cavity irrigated with normal saline. The wall of the ranula was not treated. The first mucosal tunnel was made by suturing the base of the mucosal strip to the deepest part of the wall of the ranula. The mucosal base of the tunnel and the deepest part of the base of the ranula were fixed with absorbable sutures. The two external edges of the incisions were sutured together to form the second mucosal tunnel, and apposing sutures were inserted between the two parallel incisions to form two natural mucosal tunnels. The duration of follow-up ranged from 1 to 5 years. One patient was lost to follow-up and 34 patients were cured. Outcomes were satisfactory without relapse during the follow-up period and the patients were satisfied with the outcome. The mucosal tunnel is a safe, effective, simple, and minimally-invasive treatment for oral ranula.