[Kimura's disease of the hard palate].

INTRODUCTION

Kimura's disease is an inflammatory and autoimmune disease that is endemic in Middle East and Asian countries but remains rare in Europe. It usually presents as subcutaneous nodules combined with cervical lymphadenopathies in the cervicofacial region. The oral mucosa localization is extremely rare. We report for the first time a case of hard palate localization.

OBSERVATION: A 61-year-old male patient from Martinique consulted for a recent median, extensive and poorly defined black area localized on the hard palate. It was painless and did not cause any discomfort. We performed a biopsy to rule out a melanoma. The pathology report led to diagnosing Kimura's disease. The biological parameters, especially the renal status, were normal. A simple medical supervision was prescribed.

DISCUSSION: This was the first time Kimura's disease was observed as a pigmented area located on the hard palate. The diagnosis of melanoma first had to be ruled out. The histological and immunohistological parameters are mandatory to make a diagnosis.