Neurovascular Hamartoma Of The Oral Cavity

Neurovascular hamartoma (NVH) have been reported in the skin, but are very rarely reported in the oral mucosa. Objectives: To describe clinical and pathological characteristics of neurovascular hamartoma of the oral cavity. Materials and Methods: The archives of pathology (1994-2011) have been searched for neurovascular hamartoma (NVH) of the oral mucosa. The microscopic and clinical characteristics have been analyzed. Results: A total of 12 NVH's have been retrieved; 6M; 6 F. Age: 12-76 (mean 57) years. 8 occurred in the tongue, 2 in the lip one each in uvula and buccal mucosa. The typical presentation was an asymptomatic exophytic mass, pink, yellow or red-blue in color, pedunculated or wide based with a smooth surface. The provisional clinical diagnosis was irritation fibroma (7), granular cell or other tumor (3) and mucocele (2). The microscopic features included hypocellular connective tissue with multiple aggregates of capillaries or small size blood vessels in close proximity to small- medium size nerve bundles. There were no clear borders between the lesions and the adjacent structures. The principle differential diagnosis from traumatic neuroma was based on the absence of past surgery and pain/ sensory disturbances in NVH, whereas these occur in the majority of traumatic neuroma. In addition, the vascular component is not a feature of traumatic neuroma. In comparison to 10 cases of traumatic (irritation) fibroma, NVH presented significantly more vessels and nerve bundles. Conclusions: NVH are not common lesions, but it seems they may be more frequent in the oral mucosa than expected from the literature.