[Report of an extensive maxillary perforation resulting from mucormycosis and its treatment]

ABSTRACT

Mucormycosis is a rare and invasive fungal infection with a high mortality that usually affects immunocompromised patients. The major route of infection is inhalation. An extensive necrotic ulcer in the mouth could be indicative of fungal invasion. A 67-year-old woman was visited in the department of Oral Medicine of Hamadan dental school with perforation and extensive and progressive ulcer in palate from 2 month ago. The patient had a history of swelling in the face and proptosis in the right eye from five months ago. Lab tests revealed an uncontrolled diabetes mellitus. Biopsy was carried out under clinical diagnosis of deep fungal infection and final diagnosis was mucormycosis. Early detection of mucormycosis could increase survival rate. Therefore, dentists can play an important role in primary diagnosis of the lesions. Systemic diseases could also be diagnosed and referred for treatment by the dentists