Publikation

Fatally invasive actinomycosis masquerading as a tonsillar carcinoma

Wissenschaftlicher Artikel/Review - 30.04.2014

Bereiche
PubMed
DOI

Zitation
Pezier T, Kastrinidis N, Widmer G, Huber G, Probst R. Fatally invasive actinomycosis masquerading as a tonsillar carcinoma. Head & neck 2014; 36:E129-30.
Art
Wissenschaftlicher Artikel/Review (Englisch)
Zeitschrift
Head & neck 2014; 36
Veröffentlichungsdatum
30.04.2014
eISSN (Online)
1097-0347
Seiten
E129-30
Kurzbeschreibung/Zielsetzung

BACKGROUND
Actinomyces is a bacterial rod found in the normal oral flora. It can gain entry to the submucosa via trivial wounds and ultimately lead to slow growing lesions which may mimic cancerous lesions.

METHODS AND RESULTS
We present the case of an elderly, immunosuppressed woman who presented with a herald bleed from a tonsillar lesion. Despite initial operative arrest of the hemorrhage, she died of a carotid blowout. At autopsy, no sign of cancer was found, but rather an invasive actinomycosis.

CONCLUSION
Although actinomycosis of the tonsil is well known and has even been described as mimicking tonsillar cancer, this is, to our knowledge, the first report of a carotid blowout secondary to actinomycosis.