Eosinophilic ulcer of the lateral tongue: case report

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Eosinophilic ulcer of the oral mucosa (EUOM) is a lesion manifesting as ulcer with elevated margins. The lesion is self-limiting and develops rapidly usually disappearing after several weeks. The exact pathogenetic mechanisms implicated in its development are poorly understood, however, the possibility that trauma may play a role has been often postulated. Case report: A 63 year-old male patient had presented whit a chief complaint of painful ulcerated nodule on the tongue. Oral examination revealed a firm, raised and indurated erythematous nodule with a central ulcer that had a yellow fibrinous base. Clinical diagnosis hypothesis was either traumatic ulcer or oral squamous cell carcinoma. Histopathologic analysis revealed an ulcerated lesion with a dense mixed infiltrate of eosinophils, variably sized lymphocytes and epithelioid cells extending into submucosa. These cells exhibited pleomorphism, voluminous cytoplasm and nucleus with prominent nucleolus and were identified by immunohistochemical method as CD68+ cells. The histological diagnosis was EUOM. At 1-year follow-up there was no recurrence. Conclusion: Our case provides useful information on clinical and pathological features, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of EUOM, as suggesting the possible etiology of this uncommon lesion because it is poorly described in the literature.