Successful ablation of plunging ranula by ultrasound-guided percutaneous ethanol injection

Evidence supporting any one treatment for plunging ranula is limited. Standard treatment-complete excision of the sublingual gland and ranula-is invasive and morbid given the close operative proximity to the submandibular duct and lingual nerve. OK-432 (Picibanil; Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Tokyo, Japan) sclerotherapy has been studied as a less invasive treatment but is inaccessible in the United States. This report illustrates the successful management of a plunging ranula using ultrasound-guided percutaneous ethanol injection. Within 2 months of the procedure, the patient had complete resolution of the plunging ranula, with no associated side effects. We propose that ultrasound-guided percutaneous ethanol injection be considered for the management of plunging ranula. Laryngoscope, 127:2239-2241, 2017.