Giant sublingual hamartoma with medial cleft tongue: a case report and literature review

Abstract

Hamartomas commonly occur in respiratory and digestive organs, such as the lungs, pancreas, and liver; they rarely occur in the oral cavity, especially in the sublingual region. This report describes a 5-month-old boy who presented with a giant sublingual hamartoma and medial cleft tongue. He underwent corrective operations at 5 months, 11 months, and 31 months of age. Histopathological analysis revealed features suggestive of hamartoma. There have been no signs of recurrence. The boy exhibited normal speech development at 3 years of age; all other oral functions were unaffected at that time. This report includes a review of relevant literature. The findings in this report and previous literature suggest that a multidisciplinary approach, carefully planned staged surgery, and rehabilitation are needed to achieve favorable outcomes in patients with hamartoma in the oral cavity.