ABSTRACT
Calcinosis cutis describes a condition of pathologic calcium deposition in the dermis. Several subtypes exist, including the subepidermal calcified nodule. The oral mucosal calcified nodule (OMCN) was posited in 1992 as a specific term for a subepidermal calcified nodule occurring in the oral cavity, and since that time only six such lesions have been described in the literature. This report explores a case of OMCN on the palate of a 3-month-old infant with the goal of supplementing extant literature, providing a consideration of the differentials of palatal lesions in the pediatric population, and describing a unique instance in which OMCN resulted in a full-thickness defect requiring palatoplasty for repair.
Subject(s)
Calcinosis , Skin Neoplasms , Calcinosis/surgery , Child , Humans , Infant , Mouth Mucosa/surgery , PalateABSTRACT
Diagnosis of an airway foreign body in the setting of an unwitnessed aspiration event remains a challenge for physicians in the emergency setting. We describe a case of a 2-year-old male who presented to the emergency department with atypical symptoms resulting from ingestion and aspiration of a large, flat sticker. The airway foreign body remained in place for over 24 hours despite obtaining appropriate airway imaging, and the object was later removed without complication via rigid bronchoscopy in the operating room. Further review of this case and the current literature highlighted multiple lessons. Initial evaluations should combine a rigorous history and physical with strict guidelines on usage of multiple imaging modalities (eg, plain radiographs and CT). Imaging should be obtained with the patient devoid of all obstructive materials in multiple positions (eg, upright, supine, lateral) in order to maximize the physician's ability to positively diagnose airway foreign bodies prior to definitive treatment with rigid bronchoscopy.