EXTENSIVE PALATAL MUCORMYCOSIS IN AN ELDERLY PATIENT: CASE REPORT

• Published in: Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology and oral radiology oral medicine, oral pathology and oral radiology, 2020-01, Vol.129 (1), p.e109-e109
• Main Authors: DE OLIVEIRA, CAMILA CARVALHO, FERREIRA, ANTONIO ERNANDO CARLOS, VERDE, MARIA ELISA QUEZADO LIMA, DE SOUSA, FABRÍCIO BITU, SOARES, EDUARDO COSTA STUDART, MOTA, MÁRIO ROGÉRIO LIMA, ALVES, ANA PAULA NEGREIROS NUNES
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2212-4403; 2212-4411
• DOI: 10.1016/j.oooo.2019.06.465

Mucormycosis is a rare opportunistic fungal infection, frequently fulminant, that is caused by Zygomycetes. We reported a case of a 92-year-old male patient referred to the service with irregular swelling and ulceration on the palatal area, which was yellowish, sometimes black and necrotic, measured 5 cm, and had 3 months of evolution. The patient reported anemia, smoking habit, and a cutaneous lesion that justified prior hospitalization. Oral biopsy was realized, and the patient was oriented to maintain oral health until histopathologic analysis was concluded. Histopathologic examination evidenced extensive necrosis, and the section stained with the Grocott method revealed numerous large branching, nonseptate hyphae characteristic of mucomycotic organisms. The diagnosis was consistent of mucormycosis (zygomycosis). One week after biopsy, the patient was referred to the hospital, and he died. Successful treatment of mucormycosis consists of rapid accurate diagnosis of the condition, which, unfortunately, we did not see in this case.