Isolated Focal Infantile Hemangioma of the Alveolar Ridge with Glucose Transporter-1 Reactivity: An Aberrant...

To give dental practitioners an insight into the unusual presentation of focal infantile hemangioma on the alveolar ridge showing immunoreactivity to glucose transporter-1 (GLT1). We also recommend the importance of using standardized terminologies to describe the type of hemangioma.

One of the most commonly seen and misdiagnosed vascular tumors of the skin and soft tissues of the head and neck region in children are infantile hemangiomas. Infantile hemangiomas developing at extracutaneous locations such as the oral cavity are rare, especially without cutaneous involvement.

A 9-month-old infant girl presented to the Pediatric Dental Department with a swelling over the maxillary alveolar ridge. The solitary exophytic mass appeared after birth and gradually enlarged in size with episodes of bleeding during feeding. Clinical examination revealed a reddish-pink pedunculated mass that bled profusely on palpation. The lesion was excised by electrocautery and was found to be express glucose transporter-1 confirming the diagnosis of infantile hemangioma. The patient was followed up for 1 year and showed no recurrence.

Hemangiomas are usually misinterpreted to be pyogenic granulomas, vascular malformation, reactive granulation tissue, or congenital granular cell tumor. This report highlights the use of glucose transporter-1 when there is suspicion of hemangioma for immunohistochemical distinction from other histologically similar vascular lesions of the oral cavity.

Dental surgeons treating vascular lesions of the oral cavity should advocate for surgical management techniques that also produce hemostasis due to the risk of intraoperative bleeding.

Natarajan D, Muthukali S, Nachiappan N, et al. Isolated Focal Infantile Hemangioma of the Alveolar Ridge with Glucose Transporter-1 Reactivity: An Aberrant Presentation. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2021;14(2):319-322.