Prenatal diagnosis of congenital granular cell epulis.

Abstract

Congenital granular epulis is a benign tumor that has rarely been diagnosed prenatally, although there have been numerous reports on its postnatal diagnosis. We report a case of large granular epulis diagnosed at 31 weeks' gestation in a woman whose previous anomaly scan had been normal. The lesion was 2.5 cm in diameter, pedunculated, and arose from the maxilla. It was completely surgically removed following preterm vaginal birth and histologically examined. The tumor did not prevent deglutition of the amniotic fluid and did not interfere with feeding or respiration, but prevented complete closure of the lips. We discuss the fetal management and the theories of histogenesis, and highlight the importance of early diagnosis and treatment.