Cryotherapy for Treatment of a Mucocele on Lower Lip

냉동요법(Cryotherapy)을 이용한 점액낭종(Mucocele)의 치료

  • 박혜숙 (연세대학교 치과대학 구강내과학교실) ;
  • 최종훈 (연세대학교 치과대학 구강내과학교) ;
  • 김종열 (연세대학교 치과대학 구강내과학교실)
  • Published : 1998.09.01

Abstract

Mucoceles of the minor salivary glands are the most common cystic lesions affected the oral mucosa. They are believed to be the result of trauma to the salivary duct caused, for example, by biting the lip, cheek, or tongue. Surgical excision has been the most common treatment for these lesions, but occasional recurrences develop after excision because surgical trauma may damage the surrounding minor salivary glands Although various alternative nonsurgical approaches, such as steroid infection, application of gamma-linolenic acid, have also been reported, they are not used routinely, Lasers, particularly the carbon dioxide laser, have been used in the management of mucoceles. Although this treatment requires specialized equipment. Cryotherapy is another effective nonsurgical method for treating mucoceles. Clinically, cryotherapy has primarily been applied to the treatment of leukoplakia and hyperplastic, granulomatous, vascular, and pigmented lesions. Limited information, however, is available on the application of cryotherapy in salivary gland lesions, including mucoceles. A simple and easy cryotherapy to treat a mucocele on the lower lip is described. A 25 years old female patient with a mucocele on the lower lip was treated by direct application of liquid nitrogen with a cotton swab. The lesion was exposed to 4 or 5 cycles composed of freezings of 10-30 s and thawings of double the freezing times. No anesthesia was required. The lesion nearly disappeared without scar 10 days after the cryotherapy. Cryotherapy has become an established nonsurgical method, characterized by its simple application, therapeutic effectiveness, painless during the procedure and low incidence of secondary infection and hemorrhage.

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