Epidermoid cyst in submandibular region: a case report

Resumo

The epidermoid cyst (EC) is a rare benign tumor that can develop in any region of the human body. About 7% of these cysts are located in head and neck. They are not frequent entities in cranio-facial region and in still more rare in oral cavity 1% statistically. Almost all of them occur in sublingual region, but there are rare case reports of occurrence in other sites. The epidermoid cysts is defined by a lined stratified squamous epithelium supported by an outer layer of collagenous-rich connective tissue. The detachment of keratin from the epithelial lining criates a soft white material rich in cholesterol crystals. This lipid rich content of the cyst may produce a vigorous inflammatory reaction if cyst rupture ocurrs. We report a case of epidermoid cyst (EC) located in submandibular region and the surgical removal procedure. This study was approuved by the Ferraz de Vasconcelos Regional Hospital (IRB) and the patient signed the Informed Consensus Files additionally. Clinical and radiographic examination revealed a movable swelling but hardened on palpation procedure. Histologic analisys of the excisional biopsy confirmed the initial hypotheses that it was an EC lesion. In spite of the EC being a rare benign lesion a differential diagnose is mandatory and it should not be underestimated due to its low but possible neoplasic transformation.