title: OK-432 sclerotherapy of plunging ranula in 21 patients: it can be a substitute for surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although first-choice therapy for the ranula is surgery, this choice presents technical difficulties and frequent recurrences because of insufficient surgery. We evaluated the efficacy of OK-432 sclerosis of the plunging ranula as a substitute for surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one patients with plunging ranula were treated with intralesional injection of OK-432. The liquid content of the ranula was aspirated as much as possible, after which OK-432 solution was injected in the same volumes as that drawn out. Patients were followed on sonography or CT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven (33.3%) patients with plunging ranulas showed total shrinkage and resolution, and 4 (19%) patients showed near-total shrinkage (more than 90% of the volume). Four (19%) patients revealed marked shrinkage (more than 70% of the volume), and 3 (14.3%) patients showed partial shrinkage (less than 70% of the volume). Three (14.3%) patients showed recurrence after total shrinkage 1 month after injection. The overall recurrence rate after each injection was 47% (16 of 34 injections in 21 patients), but the recurrence rate after the last sclerotherapy was only 14%. There were no serious side effects except for fever lasting 2-3 days (12 patients) and swelling (10 patients) for 3-5 days. Mild odynophagia for 1-2 days was also noted in 7 patients, and there was 1 severe case of odynophagia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OK-432 sclerotherapy of plunging ranula is a safe and potentially curative procedure that may be used as a primary treatment for plunging ranula before considering surgery.
authors: Department of Radiology, Masan Samsung Hospital, Sungkunkwan University School of Medicine, Masan, Korea.
authors: M H
authors: MH
authors: Rho
authors: D W
authors: DW
authors: Kim
authors: J S
authors: JS
authors: Kwon
authors: S W
authors: SW
authors: Lee
authors: Y S
authors: YS
authors: Sung
authors: Y K
authors: YK
authors: Song
authors: M G
authors: MG
authors: Kim
authors: S G
authors: SG
authors: Kim