Tongue Lesions in the Pediatric Population

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe the spectrum of pediatric tongue lesions treated surgically at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center from January 1990 to December 1999. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective case-series at the pediatric hospital of a tertiary care, academic medical center. RESULTS: Seventeen patients were identified. Their ages ranged from 1 to 132 months (median, 7 months). Eight lesions were located anteriorly: mucous cyst (1), polyp (1), chronic inflammatory mass (1), hamartoma (1), squamous papilloma (2), cavernous hemangioma (1), and vascular malformation (1). Four lesions were located posteriorly: teratoma (1), glial choristoma (1), osseous choristoma (1), and benign epithelial cyst (1). Finally, there were 5 diffuse lesions including macroglossia (4) and massively infiltrating congenital lymphatic malformation (1). Symptoms included respiratory distress (3) and dysarthria (3); all other children were asymptomatic. CONCLUSIONS: This series revealed an interesting spectrum of rare solid tumors; compared with other large series, fewer lymphatic and vascular malformations were seen. Presenting symptoms, differential diagnosis, and surgical approach were differentiated according to lesion location.

This publication has 15 references indexed in Scilit: