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Oral Mucous Cyst
The painless lump on this 30-year-old woman's lip is a mucous cyst, or mucocele-the result of mucus retention within a salivary gland due to trauma or obstruction of a duct. This asymptomatic, dome-shaped, translucent, blue-white cyst is usually located on the inner surface of the lower lip or on the floor of the mouth.
The painless lump on this 30-year-old woman's lip is a mucous cyst, or mucocele-the result of mucus retention within a salivary gland due to trauma or obstruction of a duct. This asymptomatic, dome-shaped, translucent, blue-white cyst is usually located on the inner surface of the lower lip or on the floor of the mouth.
Most mucous cysts are smaller than 1 cm and wane over several months. Occasionally, they disappear spontaneously; otherwise, they can be excised or removed with cryosurgery, laser therapy, or electrodesiccation. This patient's cyst was excised, and healing took place with no complication. Drs Charles E. Crutchfield III and Eric J. Lewis of Minneapolis sent this photo.
