CONGENITAL HETEROTOPIC GASTROINTESTINAL CYST OF THE ORAL CAVITY IN A NEONATE - CASE-REPORT AND REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Heterotopic gastrointestinal cysts of the oral cavity are rare benign lesions which may mimic both benign and malignant neoplasms. These cys ts are usually discovered during infancy, but may not appear until wel l into adulthood. This lesion involves the tongue and floor of the mou th in 97% of cases and has a male predilection. The cyst may range in size from less than 1 cm to 9 cm, with most lesions being 1-3 cm in si ze. About 30% of affected individuals have symptoms related to difficu lties with feeding, swallowing and respiration. The epithelial lining is quite variable, but all cysts have an enteric lining. The histogene sis is related to entrapment of undifferentiated, noncommitted endoder m within the oral cavity during the 3rd-4th week of fetal life. The pu rpose of this paper is to report a congenital heterotopic gastrointest inal cyst of the oral cavity presenting in a neonate. The clinical and histopathologic features of this cyst are reviewed, as well as the hi stogenesis of this lesion.