title: Hyperplastic sublingual gland in association with a congenitally missing ipsilateral submandibular gland.
abstract: A congenitally absent unilateral submandibular gland is a rare condition. We present such a case with an associated ipsilateral benign hyperplastic sublingual gland. The enlarged sublingual gland may well represent a compensatory response to the missing submandibular gland, but it is known that sublingual gland tumours are malignant in approximately 90% of cases and so a sublingual gland swelling is viewed with a high degree of suspicion. Clinical diagnosis of sublingual hyperplasia becomes a challenge if there is a missing unilateral submandibular gland, but a full investigation is important to rule out a more sinister pathology.
authors.affiliation: Torbay Hospital, Torquay, UK.
authors.forename: Sr
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gangidi
authors.affiliation: Torbay Hospital, Torquay, UK.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cunliffe