구강 및 악안면 영역의 囊尾蟲症

CYSTICERCOSIS OF THE ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL REGION : Case report and review of literature

Cysticercosis which results from the infection of cysticercus cellulosa, the larva of taenia solium, pork tapeworm, is a very rare disease occuring in the oral and maxillofacial region. Authors aim at reporting two cases of cysticercosis occuring in the oral cavity, and reviewing the histopathologic aspects and clinical features of the oral and maxillofacial cysticercosis in this literature. Following features are obtained. 1. Two cases of oral cysticercosis, one case occuring in the left submandibular space of a 27 year old female and one in the left buccal chin of a 25 year old female, are reported in this literature. To our knowledge, the favorite sites of oral and maxillofacial cysticercosis are buccal mucosa, tongue, submandibular space, and nose in order. 2. Grossly, the cysticercus cellulosa reveals a semilucent ovoid cyst containing translucent watery cystic fluid and invaginated portion. Microscopically, the cysticercus cellulosa reveals the form of bladder, the outermost layer of which consists of wart like surfaced cuticle beneath which interlacing muscle fibers are observed in close relation with numerous small ducts. 3. Oral and maxillofacial cysticercosis clinically manifests itself as a well circumscribed painless soft tumor mass which gradually increases in its size and does not respond to antibiotic therapy. For this reason, on the inspection of its lesion, most of dentists are apt to have the clinical impression of benign tumor or cyst. 4. When the cysticercus cellulosa is alive in the tissues of the oral and maxillofacial region, it rarely causes tissue change. But when the larva is dead, the released cystic fluid usually causes chronic granulomatous inflammation with subsequent fibrosis and calcification.