Abstract / Summary
Traumatic neuroma is a non-neoplastic proliferation of peripheral nerve tissue. It represents a hyperplastic, reparative response of a nerve following injury, including trauma or surgical interventions. Its occurrence in the oral cavity is usually rare. When present in the oral cavity, traumatic neuroma most commonly involves lip, mandible, tongue and very rarely hard palate. A 10-year-old child presented with a history of multiple swellings on the tongue that had persisted for 3-4 years, indicating a need for thorough diagnostic evaluation and appropriate management. The patient underwent a thorough clinical examination and a Computed Tomography (CT) scan for pre-surgical assessment, followed by surgical excision of the tongue lesions. The excised tissue was subjected to histopathological examination. Histopathological examination revealed the lesions to be traumatic neuromas, characterised by disorganised proliferation of nerve tissue that typically occurs as a reparative response to nerve injury or trauma. Surgical excision was the treatment modality employed, serving both diagnostic confirmation and therapeutic purposes aiming to alleviate symptoms and improve oral function. Postoperative follow-up revealed that the patient was clinically doing well with a notable improvement in quality of life. The removal of the lesions contributed to enhanced comfort and restoration of normal tongue function. Traumatic neuroma, an uncommon entity, particularly in paediatric patients, was effectively managed with surgical intervention in this case. The diagnosis underscores the importance of considering traumatic neuroma in differential diagnoses of tongue swellings with a plausible history of trauma. Favourable clinical outcomes highlight the benefits of appropriate diagnostic work-up and surgical treatment in improving patient outcomes.