Mucocele — NDEB AFK MCQ

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EasyOral PathologyMucoceleNDEB AFK

A 22-year-old presents with a smooth-surfaced, dome-shaped, fluctuant swelling on the lower lip. It is bluish-translucent, painless, and has been present for 2 months. History reveals the patient frequently bites the lower lip. What is the most likely diagnosis?

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Correct answer: A — Mucocele (mucous extravasation phenomenon)

A mucocele (mucous extravasation cyst) typically presents as a fluctuant, dome-shaped, bluish-translucent swelling on the lower lip, caused by rupture of a minor salivary gland duct (usually from lip-biting trauma) with mucus pooling in the connective tissue. It is not a true cyst (no epithelial lining). Treatment is excision including the associated minor salivary gland. The lower lip is the most common site. A ranula is a mucocele of the sublingual gland on the floor of the mouth.

Reference: Neville – Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, 4th ed., 2016