Kikuchi-Fujimoto Disease in a Filipino Boy: A Case Report

ABSTRACT

@#<p><strong>OBJECTIVE:</strong> To report a case of a 12-year-old boy with Necrotizing Lymphadenitis (Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease) presenting as lymphadenitis secondary to multiple diagnosis.</p><p> </p><p><strong>METHODS:</strong></p><p><strong>Design:</strong> Case Report</p><p><strong>Setting:</strong> Tertiary Private Hospital</p><p><strong>Patient</strong> One</p><p> </p><p><strong>RESULTS:</strong> A 12-year-old boy consulted for two-month history of cervical lymphadenopathy with the underlying cause remaining unclear despite multiple consults, diagnosis and medical treatment. Lymphoma was considered and excision biopsy with further investigations confirmed a diagnosis of Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease. Supportive management was given with no recurrence of symptoms noted on 18 months of follow up. </p><p> </p><p><strong>CONCLUSION:</strong>  Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease in this case was a diagnosis of exclusion. Even with a proper history and physical examination, experts in otolaryngology can be misled to manage this case as malignant. Awareness of the disease and appropriate examinations including immunohistochemistry are important for a timely diagnosis and proper intervention.</p><p> </p><p><strong>KEYWORDS </strong>lympadenitis; Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease; lymphoma; cervical lymph nodes</p>