Multinucleated giant cells in the palatine tonsil of three patients with pustulosis palmaris et plantaris.

In a histopathological analysis of the palatine tonsils resected in 70 patients (28 adults and 42 children) with persistent angina, several Langhans'-type giant cells without epithelioid granuloma were detected in the serial specimens of all tonsils from 3 adult patients with pustulosis palmaris et plantaris. By contrast, in the tonsils of the other 67 patients, without pustulosis palmaris et plantaris, only a few atypical multinucleated giant cells including those of foreign body type were found, in the serial specimen of 4 cases. On the basis of these results, the appearance of Langhans'-type giant cells in the tonsil should be noted in persistent angina with pustulosis palmaris et plantaris.