Congenital Sublingual Dermoid Cyst Mimicking a Recurrent Ranula in a Pediatric Patient: A Case Report

In pediatrics, sublingual lesions are not a common disease. Due to the similarity in their clinical and radiological features, they present a diagnostic challenge. Despite the advancement in imaging techniques, the accurate preoperative diagnosis of sublingual lesions may fail. In this study, we present a case of a 13-year-old male referred to our surgical department with a recurrent painless mass in the floor of the mouth, which had been previously diagnosed as a ranula and treated at another medical facility. However, the patient experienced a recurrence six months later. Upon examination, a firm left sublingual mass extending into the neck was detected. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed, which was suggestive of a ranula. The lesion was surgically excised transorally, and histopathological examination unexpectedly revealed the diagnosis of a dermoid cyst. This case highlights the importance of considering dermoid cysts when a sublingual lesion is encountered, emphasizing the need for histopathology to confirm the diagnosis.