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The congenital lingual melanotic macule
Magdalene A Dohil1, Glenn Billman, Seth Pransky
1Pediatric and Adolescent Dermatology, Children's Hospital, and Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, 92123, USA.
Archives of Dermatology
|June 18, 2003
Summary
Congenital lingual melanotic macules are rare pigmented lesions appearing at birth. These benign oral lesions are distinct and may be more common than previously thought.
Area of Science:
- Oral pathology
- Dermatology
- Pediatric medicine
Background:
- Congenital oral melanotic macules are rare and poorly characterized compared to adult forms.
- This study focuses on five cases of congenital lingual melanotic lesions.
Observation:
- Lesions presented at birth with proportional growth.
- Clinical features included well-circumscribed, brown macules (2-5 mm) on the tongue.
- No history of bleeding, ulceration, or trauma was reported; family history was negative.
Findings:
- Histopathology revealed increased basal epidermal melanin, hyperkeratosis, and pigment-laden macrophages.
- No significant increase in melanocyte number, junctional nests, or atypia was observed.
- Literature review identified only two prior clinical case reports with similar features.
Implications:
- Congenital lingual melanotic macules are a distinct clinical entity.
- These benign pigmented lesions may be underdiagnosed.
- Further research is warranted to understand their prevalence and management.