Haemangioma of the Base of the Tongue: A Case Report

Abstract

Haemangioma is a benign vascular hamartoma. In the head and neck region, it frequently affects the face, lips and oral mucosa. The tongue is relatively a rare site of involvement. We report a case of haemangioma of the base of the tongue which is a very rare site of occurrence. A 20-year-old male presented with swelling in the oropharynx with no history of fever or cough. On examination, a mass involving both the valecullae and lingual epiglottis was found, extending into the oropharynx and the oral cavity. Contrast Enhanced CT scan revealed a possibility of benign mixed tumour of minor salivary glands or cervical lymphadenopathy was considered. Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) was done and a benign tumour was considered. Direct laryngoscopy was done and a small biopsy taken from the mass revealed features of pyogenic granuloma. Excision biopsy was done and a histological diagnosis of haemangioma (mixed capillary and cavernous) with secondary changes was offered.

Keywords

• oropharynx
• pyogenic granuloma
• vascular hamartomas