Recurrence of floor of the mouth dysontogenic cyst in childhood

Abstract

The dysontogenic cysts of the floor of the mouth, which probably derive from pluripotent ectodermal cells entrapped during midline fusion of the branchial arches, include three histological subtypes: epidermoid, dermoid, and teratoid. The teratoid cyst, composed of ectodermal, endodermal, and mesodermal structures, is rare, with 26 cases reported in the English literature, most of them detected during childhood. We present a case of a teratoid cyst of the floor of the mouth in an 8-month-old boy, which was initially operated on the suspicion of ranula. A year after the operation a recurrent teratoid cyst was detected, with a sinus tract to the floor of the mouth. A recurrent dysontogenic cyst is very rare, with only five cases reported, and only one during childhood. The presence of tracts or adhesions not identified during the primary excision could explain the recurrence.

Keywords: children, dysontogenic cyst, floor of the mouth, recurrence, teratoid cyst