Purpose: The purpose of this report was to describe a new case of lingual cyst with respiratory epithelium, to review and analyze the literature regarding lingual cyst of foregut origin and lingual alimentary cyst, and to discuss the suitable terminology for these uncommon cysts.
Material and methods: Data from articles published in the English language between the years 1942 and 1947 were used.
Results: The review of the literature showed 53 lingual cysts of which 29 could be grouped into lingual alimentary tract cysts and 24 into lingual cysts of foregut origin. There was an overlap in histologic and clinical features and embryogenesis of both cysts.
Conclusions: Differentiation between both cysts cannot be supported, and until further information is accumulated it is suggested that histologic descriptive terms be used such as lingual cyst with respiratory epithelium, lingual cyst with gastric epithelium, or lingual cyst with respiratory and gastric epithelium.