Jayro Guimarães Júnior

Foreign Body in the Hard Palate of Children and Risk of Misdiagnosis: Report of 3 Cases

Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Med, Clin Hosp, Dept Oral & Maxillofacial Surg, BR-05403001 Sao Paulo, Brazil

Pesquisa de Mycobacterium leprae em biópsias de mucosa oral por meio da reação em cadeia da polimerase

BACKGROUND - Hansens disease is endemic in South America, which accounts for 3% of total world cases, and particularly in Brazil, which accounts for 85% of all South American cases. The bacteria can be found in the oral mucosa with no evident signs of infection, and only very sensitive laboratory assays can detect its presence. OBJECTIVES - The aim of this study was to ascertain if the M. leprae genome can be detected by PCR in small punch biopsy specimens from the oral mucosa of patients with Hansens disease. METHODS - The normal oral mucosas of seven multibacillary Hansens disease patients were biopsied. Five of them were under treatment at the time of the study. Diagnosis of Hansens disease could be determined by conventional hematoxylineosin and Fite-Faraco staining for M. leprae in only one patient. This patient had not received treatment prior to the time of the biopsy. The paraffin embedded specimens were submitted to PCR for M. leprae. RESULTS - Six out of seven cases showed positivity for M. leprae, and the remaining case showed positivity for Mycobacterium sp., demonstrating the high sensitivity and specificity of this method. CONCLUSIONS - PCR is a fast, easy and reliable method for routine investigation of mycobacterial infection, even during nonsymptomatic periods. Diagnosis can be achieved through a simple oral biopsy at an outpatient clinic.

Pleomorphic Multicentric Adenoma in the Submandibular Gland

Neoplasms of salivary glands represent a small group among the diseases involving the head and neck complex. In this group, the pleomorphic adenoma is the most frequent neoplasm, yet involves the submandibular gland in only 12.3% of cases. A patient presenting a swelling in the region of the submandibular gland was submitted to an incisional biopsy, where a fragment of the gland and one juxtaposed node were removed. Histologically they were defined as pleomorphic adenoma. Later, the patient was submitted to submandibulectomy and two other nodes were found close to the gland and removed. All specimens were histologically defined as pleomorphic adenoma. This multicentric finding is of great interest, perhaps explaining the recurrence rate of this neoplasm. The patient is in continuous follow-up and has not presented signs of recurrence.

Botryoid odontogenic cyst: case report with etiopathogenic, diagnostic and therapeutic considerations

The botryoid odontogenic cyst is a rare asymptomatic lesion characterized by its typical multilocular aspect similar to a bunch of grapes commonly affecting the mandible bicuspids and canine region. The possibility of this lesion representing a clinical variation of the lateral periodontal cyst is source of discussion and doubt among many authors. Our article reports a rare case of the polemic odontogenic cyst and presents considerations related to its etiopathogenic, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects.

Intramuscular lipoma in the temporal region: a case report

Few reports of intramuscular lipoma in the temporal region are seen in the literature. Because of its invasives characteristics, this neoplasm may be mistaken as a liposarcoma. Although image exams help in the differential diagnosis between benign and malignant lipomatous lesions, the histopathological exam is the only one capable of a definitive diagnosis. Total removal of the lesion is essential because the recurrence rate without complete excision may be as high as 62.5 %. A patient with an intramuscular lipoma located in the temporal region is presented along with the mentioned treatment. Great importance should be given to these uncommon lesions that may present as a challenge to professionals that work in the maxillofacial region.