| Mucous cyst of the oral mucocele | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A mucocele on the lower lip. | |
| Specialty | Oral and maxillofacial surgery  |
Oral mucocele (also mucous extravasation cyst, mucous cyst of the oral mucosa,[1] and mucous retention and extravasation phenomena) is a condition caused by two related phenomena - mucus extravasation phenomenon and mucous retention cyst.
Mucous extravasation phenomenon is a swelling of connective tissue consisting of a collection of fluid called mucus. This occurs because of a ruptured salivary gland duct usually caused by local trauma (damage) in the case of mucous extravasation phenomenon and an obstructed or ruptured salivary duct in the case of a mucus retention cyst. The mucocele has a bluish, translucent color, and is more commonly found in children and young adults.
Although these lesions are often called cysts, mucoceles are not true cysts because they have no epithelial lining.[2] Rather, they are polyps.[3]
- ^ Rapini RP, Bolognia JL, Jorizzo JL (2007). Dermatology: 2-Volume Set. St. Louis: Mosby. ISBN 978-1-4160-2999-1.
- ^ Mucocele at the U.S. National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
- ^ "Dorlands Medical Dictionary:mucocele". Archived from the original on 2009-11-14.