Sublingual gland surgery

Sublingual gland surgery is usually required when there is mucus leaking from the gland into surrounding tissues. When the mucus leaks just under the tongue it causes a swelling like the underbelly of a frog. This is called a ranula. Often the mucus tracks down into the neck causing a soft swelling under the jaw where it is called a plunging ranula.

Surgery may also be required to remove a lump or tumour within the sublingual gland in order to:

• determine the nature of the lump 
• prevent a benign lump from becoming malignant
• because a benign lump will relentlessly grow and become more difficult to remove later
  
  

Sublingual gland surgery is done under a general anesthetic so that the patient is asleep and unaware during the operation. Generally the operation commences by gently propping the jaw open to display the floor of the mouth under the tongue. The gland is dissected away from the surrounding structures including the nerves that supply sensation and movement to that side of the tongue. The duct of the submandibular gland is also gently dissected away. Once removed, the gland is sent for examination by a pathologist (the report takes one week). A small drain is inserted and the wound closed with a dissolving suture.

 

The procedure takes about 1 hour but can be longer depending on its complexity.

Occasionally the sublingual gland problem is such that it affects the adjacent submandibular gland requiring the removal of both glands. This requires an incision in the neck below the jaw and leaves a fine scar. Submandibular surgery...

The hospital stay is 1 day and planned time off work should be 7-10 days.