SALIVARY GLANDS - RANULA   The simple intraoral ranula is a unilateral cyst-like soft swelling in the mouth floor (Fig.1). Although painless, difficulties with mastication, swallowing and speech can develop with tongue displacement. The ranula has a translucent blue color reflecting its mucus content. Its thin wall is susceptible to trauma and spontaneous rupture and collapse. With healing of the roofing mucosa, recurrences develop. Another type, the cervical or deep plunging ranula, presents as an extraoral swelling that involves the submental and/or submandibular spaces.   The ranula represents a mucus extravasation phenomenon of the sublingual salivary gland with the mucus pool surrounded by a connective tissue barrier infiltrated with some inflammatory cells. Trauma, obstruction or infection of one of the sublingual salivary gland ducts can lead to leakage with escape of secretion into the surrounding tissue bed. If the involved glandular structure rests on the oral aspect of the mylohyoid muscle, the accumulated secretion will manifest itself intraorally as a simple ranula. However, herniation of portions of the sublingual salivary gland can occur normally through dehiscences in the mylohyoid muscle, and if such a glandular segment is involved, a cervical plunging ranula with extraoral swelling evolves (Fig.2). Marsupialization of the intraoral ranula, deroofing of the pseudocyst with suturing of its wall to the surrounding mucosa and packing of the lumen, is the initial conservative approach. Failures require intraoral excision of the culpable sublingual salivary gland lobe. Since the cervical plunging ranula cannot be managed succesfully via marsupialization, intraoral removal of the sublingual gland is required. Although the etiology, pathogenesis and therapy of ranula have been defined, the source of the term ÏranulaÓ is obscure. In Latin, ÏranaÓ is frog and ÏulaÓ is the diminutive. Therefore, a ranula is a little frog with the literature ascribing its similarity to the bluish color and softness of the frogÌs belly. ThatÌs a somewhat imaginative stretch! So whatÌs the real story? Well, frogs have an orally placed vocal air sac which, when distended with air and the contents allowed to escape, creates their distinctive croaking sound. In many species, when the frogÌs air sac is expanded, a remarkable resemblance to the clinical appearance of an oral ranula becomes apparent (Fig.3).   The Salivary Gland Center (SGC) was developed because a void existed in the diagnostic and comprehensive care of patients with salivary gland problems and/or secretory dysfunction. Since the diversity of these salivary conditions presents challenges to the clinician, the SGC is available for referrals. Louis Mandel, DDS Director, Salivary Gland Center (212) 305-9982