Orofacial granulomatosis in a 12-year-old boy

Abstract

The differential diagnosis of angioedema is extensive because several disorders can mimic this clinical feature. Here is reported the case of a 12-year-old boy who presented with recurrent self-limited episodes of non-painful, asymmetrical, swollen lips, without urticaria. After about 1 year lips edema became persistent and associated with gingival hypertrophy and bilateral zygomatic edema. After exclusion of the most likely hypothesis, the histological findings led to the diagnosis of orofacial granulomatosis, which is a very rare disease in adults, and even less frequent in pediatric patients. The Authors emphasize the importance of an adequate differential diagnosis, since the underlying etiology can be a rare disease requiring a specific treatment.