The key difference between mucous retention and extravasation cyst is that mucous retention cyst is a cyst with retained mucin that is lined with ductal epithelium, while an extravasation cyst is a cyst in which mucous has been extruded into the connective tissue envelope.
Mucoceles are the most common minor salivary gland lesions that affect people. They are mucus-containing cavities that are painless, soft, and smooth nodules. There are two types of mucoceles as mucous retention cysts and extravasation cysts. Extravasation cysts are more common than retention cysts. The lower lip is the most affected part of the mouth by mucoceles. They arise in the ventral surface of the tongue, floor of the mouth, palate, and upper lips. Extravasation cysts are not lined with epithelium, while mucous retention cysts are lined with ductal epithelium.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Mucous Retention Cyst
3. What is Extravasation Cyst
4. Similarities – Mucous Retention and Extravasation Cyst
5. Mucous Retention vs Extravasation Cyst in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Mucous Retention vs Extravasation Cyst
What is Mucous Retention Cyst?
Mucous retention cyst results from the salivary gland lesions that will lead to the accumulation of mucous within the cyst. The retention cysts are mainly seen in adults and are less common in children and young adults. It can be present on the floor of the maxillary sinus, preserving the sinus walls. They are mostly located in the lower lip. The mucous retention cysts are benign in nature.
Figure 01: Mucous Retention Cyst
The origin of the mucous retention cyst is the salivary gland, which consists of a bluish tinge to the lesion. The tinge indicates the cystic nature. If the mucous retention cyst is kept for a long period of time, it might change its shape by bursting. Even though the mucous retention cyst is non-cancerous, treating the cyst is important to overcome the pain.
What is Extravasation Cyst?
An extravasation cyst is a type of salivary gland lesion cyst in which mucous spills into the connective tissue envelope following the rupturing of the cyst. The spillage of mucous mainly occurs on the soft tissue surrounding the salivary glands. This type of cyst is more commonly observed than retention cysts. They are also common in children and young adults. Extravasation cysts are mainly present in the lower lip, ventral tongue, and the floor of the mouth.
Figure 02: Extravasation Cyst
Similar to retention cysts, extravasation cysts are also benign in nature. The inflammatory response following an extravasation cyst is much faster than the response generated for a mucous retention cyst. Long-term untreated extravasation cysts will cause pain, and the size of the cyst may vary with periodic bursting.
What are the Similarities Between Mucous Retention and Extravasation Cyst?
- Mucous retention and extravasation cysts are non-cancerous or benign in nature.
- They consist of mucous.
- Both cysts originate from the salivary glands.
- Both types of cysts can be diagnosed through scanning and physical examination.
- Moreover, both types of cysts can lead to infections if untreated.
What is the Difference Between Mucous Retention and Extravasation Cyst?
A mucous retention cyst will facilitate the buildup of mucous in the cyst, while an extravasation cyst will facilitate the spillage of mucous to the soft tissue. Thus, this is the key difference between mucous retention and extravasation cyst. Mucous retention cysts occur at a lower rate, while extravasation cysts occur at a higher rate. While mucous retention cysts are mostly observed in adults, extravasation cysts are mostly observed in children and young adults.
The below infographic presents the differences between mucous retention and extravasation cyst in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Mucous Retention vs Extravasation Cyst
Mucocele cysts are of two different types: mucous retention cysts and extravasation cysts. They are mainly present in the mouth cavity and associated with the lower lip and salivary glands. A mucous retention cyst will facilitate the buildup of mucous in the cyst. In contrast, an extravasation cyst will facilitate the spillage of mucous into the soft tissue. Both types of cysts are benign; hence they are non-cancerous. Both cysts are responsible for initiating an inflammatory response. Extravasation cysts initiate a comparatively faster inflammatory response. So, this summarizes the difference between mucous retention and extravasation cyst.
Reference:
1. LD; Thompson. “Mucocele: Retention and Extravasation Types.” Ear, Nose, & Throat Journal, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
2. “Mucocele: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment.” WebMD.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Retention cyst” By Klaus D. Peter, Gummersbach, Germany – Own work (CC BY 3.0 de) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Mucocele of lower lip (1)” By KGH assumed – No machine-readable source provided. Own work assumed (based on copyright claims). (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia