Coexisting sublingual dermoid cyst and heterotopic gastrointestinal cyst: Case report

A heterotopic oral gastrointestinal cyst coexisting with a lingual dermoid cyst is a rare condition, with only 3 reported cases in the English-language literature. Clinically, both gastrointestinal and dermoid cysts tend to manifest as an asymptomatic swelling. Cysts above the mylohyoid often present with sublingual swelling, whereas those below the mylohyoid present with submental swelling. Increased salivation, altered speech, dyspnea and difficulties in eating, swallowing and respiration may be present, depending on the size of the cyst. This paper describes the case of a 4-year-old girl presenting with swelling of the tongue and floor of the mouth that interfered with normal speech. Two cystic lesions were surgically excised using an intraoral approach, and recovery was uneventful. Histopathological examination of the specimens taken during surgery revealed the first, anterior cyst to be a dermoid cyst and the second, posterior cyst to be a heterotopic oral gastrointestinal cyst (HGIC). Although this situation is very rare, it should be included in the differential diagnosis of swellings in the submandibular region in the pediatric population. Key words:Dermoid cyst, heterotopic gastrointestinal cyst, children, tongue.