Sclerotherapy of ranulas with OK-432 - a prospective, randomized, double-blinded placebo-controlled study

Ranula is a rare benign cystic lesion in the floor of the mouth, which can herniate through the mylohyoid muscle and become a plunging ranula. Treatment for ranulas is currently surgical excision of the sublingual gland. Sclerotherapy with OK-432 is a well-established treatment of lymphatic malformations, but not yet thoroughly evaluated on ranulas. Objectives: To evaluate sclerotherapy of ranulas with OK-432 in a randomized double-blinded trial.

20 patients with plunging or intraoral ranula were randomized to two double-blinded injections with OK-432 or saline. Effect on the ranula and evaluation of symptoms and QOL were investigated.

Treatment response differed significantly between OK-432 and placebo, p = .041(student's T-test). All patients with intraoral ranulas had a complete response, but only 1/4 of the patients with plunging ranula. The inflammatory reaction after injection with OK-432 caused a mild to moderate impact on QOL. No serious complications were observed.

This study suggests that sclerotherapy with OK-432 in ranula is a very effective treatment for intraoral ranulas, but possibly less useful in plunging ranulas.

This is a limited study, but we believe that sclerotherapy with OK-432 should be recommended as primary treatment at least for intraoral ranulas.