Giant hemangioma of the tongue: a case report of a potential complication with a real risk of death in a child

• Autor(a) principal: Araújo, Rubem Costa
• Data de Publicação: 2013
• Outros Autores: Ribeiro, André Luis Ribeiro, Rodrigues-Couto, Ana Paula Guerreiro, Menezes, Sílvio Augusto Fernandes de, Alves-Junior, Sérgio de Melo, Pinheiro, João de Jesus Viana
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Revista odonto ciência (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://revistaseletronicas.pucrs.br/ojs/index.php/fo/article/view/12516
• topic: Hemangioma; oral pathology; stomatology; oral lesion; Hemangioma; patologia oral; estomatologia; lesão oral; Oral Pathology

Objective: Hemangiomas are considered benign vascular tumors characterized by rapid proliferation of endothelial cells, comprising a space containing blood that is coated with a layer of endothelium. Hemangiomas are considered potentially serious lesions due to the risk of bleeding, airway obstruction, infection and thrombocytopenia – however reports of these complications are poorly described in the literature. The authors report a case of cavernous hemangioma of the tongue in a two-year-old child. Case description: A child was admitted with a large volume on the tongue due to internal bleeding after trauma caused by biting the tongue, placing the patient in a life-threatening condition. Initially, a life-support treatment was performed until the child was transferred to a specialized hospital. There, she died three days after glossectomy surgery. Conclusion: The authors report a case of a serious complication of hemangioma of the tongue that put the patient at risk of death by one of the potential complications such as airway obstruction, hypovolemic shock and compartment syndrome, infection and necrosis. The authors emphasize the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of cavernous hemangiomas in areas susceptible to trauma in order to prevent serious and potentially fatal complications.