Malodour from oral malignant fungating wound: sprayed metronidazole - case report

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Palliative Care
• Dermatology

Background:

• Malignant fungating wounds often present with malodour, impacting patient quality of life.
• Metronidazole gel or ointment is a standard treatment for wound malodour.
• Topical metronidazole has limitations in oral lesions due to texture and saliva washout.

Observation:

• A patient experienced significant malodour from an oral lesion.
• Conventional metronidazole gel/ointment was deemed unsuitable for intraoral application.
• A novel approach using sprayed metronidazole was considered.

Findings:

• Sprayed metronidazole provided effective control of malodour from the oral lesion.
• The delivery method was well-tolerated and addressed the limitations of topical formulations.
• This case demonstrates the efficacy of metronidazole in a sprayed form for oral malodour.

Implications:

• Sprayed metronidazole offers a viable alternative for managing malodour in oral lesions.
• This approach may improve patient comfort and treatment adherence.
• Further research into sprayed metronidazole formulations for head and neck cancer patients is warranted.