I've had one on my lower lip for 7 years

hey there,
i did a lot of reading up on this before i had my surgery (which was in october) and apparantly the problem when it come back like that is just that the entire gland wasnt removed. My oral surgeon said that if the ENTIRE gland isnt removed that the mucocele is just going to come right back. I dunno, cause maybe there are special situations but it would make sense to me that with the entire gland removed (which is what i did) a new one couldnt grow. In any case, take that for what its worth, haha!
good luck,
JerseyGirl

Hey Bleach, I agree with JerseyGirl. It sounds like the associated salivary gland was not removed, in which case the mucocele may return. But then again, it seems like something your ENT doc should have known. Do you know if the salivary gland that was feeding your mucocele was removed along with the mucocele?

My ENT doc said that the salivary gland must be excised, otherwise, the mucocele will likely come back. So, I had a big old 1.5" incision with 8 stitches, but hopefully, it means the thing is gone for good....

If I were you I would have some other doctors take a look and give thier opinion. The right doctor will know how to remove the whole gland so it doesnt reoccure.


Oh, and if its near your lip or anywhere that might affect your appearance you might choose to see a plastic surgeon. I sure wish I did.

As I understand it, the Mucocele actually IS the salivary gland. They can reoccur though, since there are many salivary glands in your lip and it's easy for those adjacent to the Mucocele get damaged during removal. When I had mine removed, the doctor plucked about a dozen salivary glands out of my lip in the area around the Mucocele.

My dentist recommeded I see a plastic surgeon. I thought he would suggest an oral surgeon, but he said that a plastic surgeon would do a better job cosmetically. Does anyone know if they are trained to deal with the surgery the same way? I am a professional flutist. The mucocele sometimes interferes with my playing (at least psychologically) because sometimes it pops up on my lower lip. Other times it disappears. I am worried about having my mouth mangled and my lip messed up. I really don't know if the surgery is successful. Are there any out there that REGRET the surgery? And another question, Does anyone have any problem with scaring (keloid scaring). I've got scaring from wisdom teeth extractions and I am concerned that I will have scar tissue that will look just like the dang mucocele. Can anyone settle my mind about all this? I hate the thing and want it gone, but what's the worst that could happen?
Paranoid.

Hi Kimmer41,

Given that you're a professional flutist, you have all the more reason to be concerned. I think the recommendation to see a plastic surgeon is a good one. I had mine removed by a ENT surgeon, but I would think that the plastic surgeon will be more likely to show concern for appearance (symmetry, for example). Either way, ask questions. Ask about symmetry, numbness, and scarring. Find out if the doc has done these before and how often. Also, ask about alternatives to the knife. Ask about CO2 laser ablation and micro-marsupialization, which are much less invasive.

I am 6 weeks out from my surgery, and I think if I were a flutist, I would still be impacted. I have external numbness on my lip that supposedly takes 3 mos. to resolve, and my ENT surgeon told me it would be a year before the lumpy and tight band feeling went away, and the lip "remodeled".

So, proceed with caution!!

Good luck to you!!

Kimmer41, obviously I regret having mine removed. I am very upset with my lips appearance and, yes, it does affect my ability to whistle and do certain lip excercizes with singing (I can't create the required seal for a few things).

Please DO go to a plastic surgeon.

I went to an oral surgeon and he is the reason it is all messed up. Had i gone to a plastic surgeon they would have been more careful (and both of the ones who Ive visited for fixing my lip post-surgery have told me they would have done things differently in order to preserve the shape of my lip).

So, my advice is to go to a plastic surgeon, and yes they are very aware of how to remove these and very qualified. If you have any dobts ask your plastic surgeon if they do this proceedure and what to expect.

Thank so much. I will deffinitely ask questions. I thought I was the only person with this problem. I feel very stuck, having the mucocele affects my emboucher, but having surgery will too. I guess I'd better not give up my dayjob.

I think if your surgeon does everything properly you will regain full use of your lips and you will be fine for your musical career. :)

Kimmer41 , I would definitely look into the plastic surgeon.

I play French horn and the this surgery has ruined my lip at least for quite some time. I went to an ENT who had performed, supposedly, over a thousand of these operations. Hearing that I had a lot of confidence but during and afterward I lost all confidence in his work. He was very well versed with mucoceles and I was impressed with his knowledge, but his technique was less then satisfactory, especially for someone who really uses their lips. My embouchure is completely ruined (at least for now). This may go away, but it has been 6 months now and my lip is still numb in the area of the surgery. Plus there is a small indentation at the site which he says will probably remain. I can sum up my surgery by saying it was a hurried hack job by someone that had lots of experience. I thought he was the right guy for the job but now I wish I would have gone to someone that would have really taken their time to do it right. I doubt that you can avoid the initial swelling which lasts several days/week. And I am sure you will have numbness for quite some time. Both of these are to be expected. But how its cut out and removed, and then sewn back up is what I wish I had really spoken to my doctor about. It would have made a difference I believe. I think a plastic surgeon would be much more sensitive to it.

Hope it turns out well for you.