[Focal epithelial hyperplasia (Heck disease)]

A case of focal epithelial hyperplasia (Heck's disease) in a nine years old caucasian girl is described. The disease is characterized by multiple flat verruca like elevations of the oral mucosa. The histological findings were acanthosis and papillomatosis with elongated anastomosing rete ridges. We also observed vacuolated cells with a hypercromatic marginated nucleo. In this paper the etiology is also discussed and we agreed that focal epithelial hyperplasia is an HPV, induced disease. Local application of vitamin A acid for three months was unsuccessful.