Cavernous Hemangioma of the Uvula: Report a Rare Case with Literature Review

Abstract

Hemangiomas of the oral cavity are relatively rare with a prevalence rate of less than 1%, mostly involving lips, tongue, buccal mucosa, and palate.  Cavernous hemangioma is a subtype of hemangioma.  The involvement of uvula by a cavernous hemangioma is extremely rare.  To date, only 4 cases have been reported in the English literature.  Here we report one such case with analysis of its histologic and immunohistochemical features.  The patient is a 58-year-old white male with a mass on the left side of his uvula.   Because a simple excision of this lesion would have rendered the inferior portion of the uvula pedunculated, possibly causing a globus sensation, a partial uvulectomy was done to maintain the integrity of the remaining uvular structure.  Grossly, the lesion was a tan-pink polypoid mass partially covered by squamous mucosa, measuring 0.8 x 0.5 x 0.3 cm. Microscopic examination revealed poorly circumscribed large cavernous spaces lined by flattened endothelium, separated by scant connective tissue, morphologically consistent with cavernous hemangioma.  Immunohistochemical study showed that CD34 stain highlighted the endothelial cells, supporting this diagnosis.  By reporting this case with rare erratic location of cavernous hemangioma, we like to raise the awareness that cavernous hemangioma is also in the differential diagnosis when a patient presents with an elongated uvula or uvular mass.