CO2 laser‐assisted treatment of a giant pyogenic granuloma of the gingiva

Abstract

Pyogenic granuloma (PG) may develop in the oral cavity of pregnant women. The periodontal treatment outcomes during and after pregnancy are described. A 34-year-old woman in the 39th week of pregnancy presented for surgical treatment with a mass on the lingual mandibular gingiva. She had been surgically treated alio loco in the 37th week, but this failed. The patient was reassured and an individual oral hygiene programme was initiated in our department. The tumour was about 20 mm in diameter. A CO(2) laser-assisted surgical excision was performed 4 weeks after delivery. The lesion was analysed histopathologically using a von Willebrand Factor immunoreactivity staining. The highly vascularized tissue with a dense inflammatory infiltrate was in accordance with the diagnosis of a PG. The initial wound healing was uneventful. A 12-month follow-up revealed no recurrence of the mass and healthy periodontal tissues. This report describes an oral complication during pregnancy for which surgical excision of a PG after delivery seemed the best treatment. It is possible that gender-specific periodontal disease risk factors contributed to the development of the lesion. This is another reason why pregnant women should be encouraged to be assessed by oral health professionals before late pregnancy.