title: A diffuse traumatic neuroma in the palate: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A traumatic neuroma is not a true neoplasm but a reactive proliferation of neural tissue that commonly occurs after the transection or damage of a nerve bundle. Traumatic neuromas are rare in the oral region and usually occur as a solitary nodule of the mental foramen, lower lip, or tongue. This is the first report of a diffuse traumatic neuroma of the palate.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 30-year-old Japanese man was referred to our clinic complaining of painful swelling of the left side of his palate. The swelling was diffuse and his pain increased with palpation of his palate. He had no noteworthy medical or family history, and was not aware of any history of trauma or inflammation in his head or neck area. We administered antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs because we suspected that his symptoms were the result of inflammation caused by an infection. However, his symptoms did not change. An incisional biopsy was performed, and histopathologic examination indicated that the lesion was a traumatic neuroma. Under general anesthesia the lesion was resected with a 5-mm margin using an electric scalpel because of the diffuse expansion and indistinct borders of the mass. Some tumor cells were observed within the surgical margins of the resected specimen, but there has been no recurrence of either the pain or mass in the 3 years since the surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The location and diffuse nature of this traumatic neuroma are both very rare. While we were initially unsure about the diagnosis and treatment of this mass, the treatment outcome has been good. However, a postoperative recurrence can occur at any time following the excision of a traumatic neuroma, and close long-term follow-up will continue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Toshiba Rinkan Hospital, 7-9-1 Kamitsuruma Minami-ku, Sagamihara, 252-0385, Japan. fhb19830419@yahoo.co.jp.|Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dental Medicine, Tsurumi University, 2-1-3 Tsurumi Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-8501, Japan. fhb19830419@yahoo.co.jp.
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Toshiba Rinkan Hospital, 7-9-1 Kamitsuruma Minami-ku, Sagamihara, 252-0385, Japan.|Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dental Medicine, Tsurumi University, 2-1-3 Tsurumi Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Rikuma
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Toshiba Rinkan Hospital, 7-9-1 Kamitsuruma Minami-ku, Sagamihara, 252-0385, Japan.|Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dental Medicine, Tsurumi University, 2-1-3 Tsurumi Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Hironori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ara
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dental Medicine, Tsurumi University, 2-1-3 Tsurumi Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hamada
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Toshiba Rinkan Hospital, 7-9-1 Kamitsuruma Minami-ku, Sagamihara, 252-0385, Japan.|Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dental Medicine, Tsurumi University, 2-1-3 Tsurumi Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Ikuyo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kanai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D009463:Neuroma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D010159:Palate / Q000294:innervation / Q000473:pathology*; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Amputation neuroma; Diffuse; Greater palatine nerve; Palate; Traumatic neuroma