Particular swelling on the palate

Cinzia Casu, Riccardo Botta

PAMJ. 2018; 30:280. Published 20 Aug 2018 | doi:10.11604/pamj.2018.30.280.16529

A 75-year-old patient came to our observation for a follow-up visit. We note the presence on the soft palate of a big swelling and the patient reported the presence of this lesion for about 10 years. At the dental level it was possible to see some residual dental elements and the result of recent dental extractions. The anamnesis reported a slight hypertension, osteoporosis and difficulty in swallowing probably linked to the presence of swelling, which however was asymptomatic. It was decided to perform an ultrasound exam to discover the nature of the injury. The ultrasound showed an echogenic area of 37 x 20mm in diameter, with a well-defined oval structure and borders, widely vascularize. The report was compatible with vascular injury. The patient underwent surgery at a hospital, where the lesion was aspirated. We do not have the needle aspiration report and we have not seen the patient after. The differential diagnosis is with an infection and inflammation, oral lymphoma, salivary glands tumors.
Corresponding author
Cinzia Casu, DDS, Private Dental Practice, Cagliari, Italy (ginzia.85@hotmail.it)


The Pan African Medical Journal (ISSN: 1937-8688) is a subsidiary of the Pan African Medical Journal. The contents of this journal is intended exclusively for professionals in the medical, paramedical and public health and other health sectors.

Currently tracked by: DOAJ, AIM, Google Scholar, AJOL, EBSCO, Scopus, Embase, IC, HINARI, Global Health, PubMed Central, PubMed/Medline, ESCI

Physical address: "Kenya: 3rd Floor, Park Suite Building, Parkland Road, Nairobi. PoBox 38583-00100, tel: +254 (0)20-520-4356 | Cameroon: Immeuble TechnoPark Essos, Yaounde, PoBox: 10020 Yaounde, tel: +237 (0)24-309-5880"