Congenital smooth muscle hamartoma of the tongue in a neonate — a case report

Abstract

BackgroundHamartoma is a benign, tumor-like proliferation of mature tissue that is natural to the organ from which it developed. Oral hamartomas are rare and can occur as an isolated finding or as a part of a syndrome.Case presentationWe report a 4-day-old male neonate who was postnatally noted to have a large 3.5 × 3.5 cm lobulated mass over the tip of the tongue. The mass was causing protrusion of the tongue and feeding difficulties following which surgical excision was planned. The postoperative recovery was uneventful.ConclusionAlthough rare, lingual hamartomas should be considered in the differential diagnosis algorithm for congenital tongue lesions. The definitive diagnosis is histopathological with complete resection of the tumor resulting in a favorable prognosis.