Granulomatous inflammation of minor salivary gland ducts: a new oral manifestation of Crohn's disease.
Multiple sublingual cystic masses developed in a 27-year-old man with active intestinal Crohn's disease during prednisone therapy. Surgical excision revealed noncaseating granulomatous inflammation involving the walls of minor salivary gland ducts. In some areas, this ductal lesion was associated with rupture and mucocele formation. Three weeks after excision of the salivary gland tissue, the patient experienced an exacerbation of his intestinal disease, accompanied by a recurrent lesion on the floor of his mouth and aphthous ulcerations of the buccal mucosa. The oral lesions and intestinal symptoms resolved only after azathioprine therapy. This salivary gland lesion represents a previously undescribed oral manifestation of Crohn's disease.
D000328:Adult; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D006099:Granuloma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012466:Salivary Gland Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012793:Sialadenitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D013361:Sublingual Gland / Q000473:pathology