Diagnosis and rehabilitation of an infant with palatal mucormycosis: A clinical report and systematic literature review.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Oral mucormycosis is uncommon in pediatric patients with hematolymphoid diseases. Prosthetic rehabilitation is challenging, and protocols are scarce in the literature.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this clinical report and systematic literature review of case reports and case series was to describe the clinicopathologic aspects of oral mucormycosis and the interim prosthetic rehabilitation of an affected infant.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

The clinical lesions were ulcerative and necrotic with underlying bone exposure that affected the hard palate. The affected area underwent surgical debridement, and histopathologic analysis was performed. A literature search in PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science up to October 2023 was performed.

RESULTS

The histopathological features were consistent with mucormycosis. Topical and systemic antifungals were prescribed. Tooth eruption was insufficient, and an acetate plate without clasp retention, but still with adequate retention, was fabricated. Articulatory, masticatory, and swallowing functions were restored, preventing the passage of food and fluids into the oroantral cavities. Twenty-five articles describing 26 patients with oral mucormycosis related to hematolymphoid disorders affecting the pediatric population were identified. None of the authors of these articles provided information about oral rehabilitation.

CONCLUSIONS

Early diagnosis and treatment are essential to increasing the chances of survival for infants affected by oral mucormycosis. Custom-made rehabilitation should be provided to restore oral function and improve the patient's general health.