A Case of Primary tuberculosis of the tongue mimicking malignancy

Tuberculosis of the tongue is a very rare event even in a areas and countries in which tuberculosis is endemic. The disease can present itself in a variety of clinical appearances, most of which may mimic malignant lingual neoplasm’s clinically. Here we report a case of lingual non healing ulcer in a 44 years female which was clinically suspected as malignant ulcer. The diagnosis of lingual tuberculosis was made by histopathology. Bangladesh J Otorhinolaryngol; October 2017; 23(2): 199-202

Non-malignant Oral Ulcer: A Diagnostic Challenge to Otorhinolaryngologists

Introduction Apart from the malignant ulcers a wide variety of dermatological and other systemic conditions can affect oral cavity and often be a diagnostic challenge due to their similar presenting features and appearance. Despite being benign, some of them may be fatal if not diagnosed and treated timely. This study aims to assess the incidence of different non malignant ulcers in oral cavity and to estimate the need for histopathological examination for confirmation of the condition for proper management. Materials and Methods An institution based observational study was conducted over a time period of 16 months at a tertiary care institute. Total 172 cases were included in the present study irrespective of age, sex and duration. Malignant lesions were excluded from the study. Results The present study shows a slight male preponderance (M:F = 1.48:1) with majority of cases were in age group 20-40 years of age (43.02%). Most commonly encountered were recurrent aphthous stomatitis (27.9%) followed by erosive lichen planus (16.28%), oral candidiasis, angular stomatitis, traumatic ulcers and others. 78.5% were treated successfully on the basis of clinical diagnosis while 21.5% cases needed further histopathological or other investigation for confirmation of diagnosis. Conclusion Though the otolaryngologists are more concerned about malignant ulcer, there are many non malignant ulcers which can cause significant morbidity and can even be fatal and should be given similar importance like malignant lesions. Majority of them can be treated successfully on the basis of clinical diagnosis but histopathological examination may be required in some cases for proper diagnosis and appropriate management.