Giant submental dermoid cysts with near total obstruction of the oral cavity: report of 2 cases

Abstract

Dermoid cysts in the head and neck are a relatively uncommon entity with only 6.9% occurring in this site. They most commonly occur in the lateral third of the eyebrow with 26% found in the floor of the mouth.(1) They are believed to arise from failure of the overlying surface ectoderm to separate from underlying structures. Typically, dermoid cysts present as slow-growing nontender midline floor of the mouth or submental swellings that can develop to significant dimensions before producing symptoms.(2) We report 2 such cases where large dermoid cysts produced progressive dysphagia and breathing difficulty, resulting in acute presentation to our service.