Lymphatic involvement in the histopathogenesis of mucous retention cyst

Mucous retention cyst results from extravasation of saliva. Our intent was to study the role of lymphatics in its pathogenesis. Twenty-three surgical specimens of mucous retention cyst of the lip were examined for involvement of lymphatic vessels by a comparative immunohistochemical demonstration of lymphatic and blood vascular endothelial cells, as well as lymphatic and salivary contents. Mucous retention cysts were histopathologically classified into three stages: early, intermediate, and advanced. In the early stage, there was diffuse extravasation of mucous material in the interstitium of the lamina propria or the submucosal layer of the oral mucosa. In the intermediate stage, lymphatics, which were clearly revealed and immunohistochemically distinguished from blood vessels by monoclonal antibody D2-40, were dilated and finally ruptured, leaving fragments of lymphatic walls in the periphery of mucous pools. In the advanced stage, thick cyst walls of granulation tissue were formed around mucous retention. Lymphatics were no longer involved in the granulation tissue wall, which was actively driven by blood vessel formation. The results suggest that the lymphatic rupture seems to contribute to the enlargement in the pathogenesis of mucous retention cyst.