Salvatore Garofalo1, Alessandro Mussa2, Michael Mostert2, Liana Suteu3, Simona Vinardi4, Stefano Gamba4, Luca Lonati4, Elisabetta Teruzzi4, Nicola Tommasoni4, Massimo Bassignana5, Guido Masi6, Gaetano Marenzi7, Gilberto Sammartino7, Carmen Mortellaro8. 1. Department of Pediatric Surgery, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital, Turin, Italy. Electronic address: drsalvatoregarofalo@yahoo.it. 2. Department of Pediatrics, University of Turin, Italy. 3. Unit of Radiology, St. Anna Hospital, Turin, Italy. 4. Department of Pediatric Surgery, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital, Turin, Italy. 5. Magnetic Resonance Imaging Unit, Koelliker Hospital, Turin, Italy. 6. Unit of Radiology, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital, Turin, Italy. 7. Department of Odontostomatologic and Maxillo-Facial Sciences, University Federico II, Naples, Italy. 8. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Science, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy; Oral Surgery, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital, Turin, Italy.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: We compare the outcome of medical treatment for ranula versus surgery in children. STUDY DESIGN: Multicentric cohort study. METHODS: The case series includes 37 children with ranulas (diameter 2.7 ± 1.5 cm). Eighteen patients, including 3 who had relapsed after either simple marsupialization or ranula removal alone, received oral nickel gluconate, mercurius heel, and glandula submandibularis suis D10/D30/D200. Fifteen cases underwent marsupialization with packing, and 2 underwent sublingual gland and ranula en-bloc excision. Two patients who recovered spontaneously shortly after diagnosis were excluded. RESULTS: No recurrences occurred among medical patients. Of the 17 surgical patients, 3 treated with marsupialization with packing relapsed. With the 3 surgical failures from other centers a total of 6 of 20 relapses were considered. Swelling or tension was common in surgical cases but unusual in medical patients. CONCLUSIONS: In this case series oral medical treatment for ranula was very effective and more effective than marsupialization with packing.
OBJECTIVES: We compare the outcome of medical treatment for ranula versus surgery in children. STUDY DESIGN: Multicentric cohort study. METHODS: The case series includes 37 children with ranulas (diameter 2.7 ± 1.5 cm). Eighteen patients, including 3 who had relapsed after either simple marsupialization or ranula removal alone, received oral nickel gluconate, mercurius heel, and glandula submandibularis suis D10/D30/D200. Fifteen cases underwent marsupialization with packing, and 2 underwent sublingual gland and ranula en-bloc excision. Two patients who recovered spontaneously shortly after diagnosis were excluded. RESULTS: No recurrences occurred among medical patients. Of the 17 surgical patients, 3 treated with marsupialization with packing relapsed. With the 3 surgical failures from other centers a total of 6 of 20 relapses were considered. Swelling or tension was common in surgical cases but unusual in medical patients. CONCLUSIONS: In this case series oral medical treatment for ranula was very effective and more effective than marsupialization with packing.