Jaw and gum tumours in children.
BACKGROUND
Jaw and gum tumours are rare conditions in children. Children presenting with jaw tumours during 2001 till 2007 are presented. Their modes of presentation, operative procedures and findings, histology and post operative results have been described.


METHODS
Fourteen children presenting with jaw and gum tumours are retrospectively analysed. Acute inflammatory and developmental cyst are excluded from the study. Relevant literature of three rare tumours noted in our series are reviewed.


RESULTS
Eight patients had epulis, two of them had rare congenital epulis. Two patients had aneurysmal bone cyst. Melanotic neuroectodermal tumour of infancy was noted in two patients. Ameloblastic fibrosis, another rare tumour in children, and non-osseus fibroma were noted in one patient each. Excision of the mass was done in all except two patients with aneurysmal bone cyst, in whom curettage of the cyst was done. Patients were followed up from 3 months to 6 years.


CONCLUSIONS
Jaw and gum tumours in children are usually benign. Excision of the tumour or curettage is curative in most of them.
Kumar Dutta
Hemonta
H
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh 786002, Assam, India. hemontdut@yahoo.co.in
D017824:Bone Cysts, Aneurysmal / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003475:Curettage; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005350:Fibroma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005882:Gingival Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006101:Granuloma, Giant Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007571:Jaw Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D017600:Neuroectodermal Tumor, Melanotic / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies