The Journal of Laryngology & Otology

Table of Contents - August 2012 - Volume 126, Issue 08  

Clinical Records

Acute presentation of a plunging ranula causing respiratory distress: case report

K G Effata1 c1

a1 Department of Otolaryngology, El-Sahel Teaching Hospital, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

Objective: A plunging ranula is an uncommon cause of neck swelling which typically presents in a gradually progressive fashion. This report describes a rare case of acute presentation of a plunging ranula. The condition progressed rapidly to respiratory distress, requiring urgent surgery.

Case report: A 14-year-old male student presented with a rapidly enlarging neck swelling associated with a sublingual swelling. Computed tomography suggested the diagnosis of plunging ranula. Several hours after admission, the neck swelling became very tense and the sublingual swelling enlarged dramatically. The tongue was pushed upwards and backwards by the sublingual swelling, causing respiratory embarrassment and requiring urgent surgery. Four months after surgery, there was no evidence of recurrence.

Conclusion: To the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first case report of a plunging ranula progressing acutely and rapidly to cause respiratory compromise. The literature is reviewed and pertinent features concerning the diagnosis and management of plunging ranula are presented.

(Accepted October 05 2011)

(Online publication May 15 2012)

Key words

Correspondence:

c1 Address for correspondence: Dr K G Effat, 51A El-Madina El-Monawara St, Madinat El-Mohandeseen, Giza, Egypt E-mail: kamaleffat@hotmail.com

Footnotes

Dr K G Effat takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper

Competing interests: None declared

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