Mucormycosis of the head and neck

Abstract

Introduction: Mucormycosis of the head and neck is a rare disease increasingly occurring in immunocompromised patients. We report on two cases with different outcomes.

Case reports: A 63-year-old female presented with a recently developed deformation of her right cheek and nose combined with a loosening of the teeth. Further examination revealed mucormycosis of the maxilla. Hemimaxillectomy and secondary bony reconstruction with oral rehabilitation were performed. The second patient was a 54-year-old male who suffered from multiple myeloma. After receiving an allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant, he developed a necrotizing infection of the right midface. Histopathological investigation confirmed the diagnosis of mucormycosis. The patient died one day after radical surgical resection.

Discussion: These two cases demonstrate the variability of mucormycosis. Although slow progression of the disease is possible, a high level of attentiveness and expedient treatment are necessary due to the high risk of a devastating course.