A 5-year Review of Oral Pyogenic Granuloma Cases seen at a Nigerian Teaching Hospital, Any Justification for Name Change?

Abstract

Objective: Pyogenic granuloma is a type of reactionary 
lesion of the skin and mucous membrane. Its 
aetiopathogenesis is not fully understood, and trauma has 
been associated with a number of cases. Its name was 
recently changed to lobular capillary haemangioma (LCH) 
on the basis that it is not pus- producing and does not
contain giant cells. This study aimed at examining the 
clinicopathologic features of pyogenic granuloma cases at 
our facility, Dental Centre, University College hospital, 
Ibadan, Nigeria, between 2013 and 2018 (5 years) if they are 
in consonance with findings of other studies carried out in 
other climes upon which the name change was based, in a 
bid to finding a justification for the change. 
Methods: The histologic slides and clinical records of 28 
cases were retrieved and reviewed using a proforma; 11 
males and 17 females, with age range of 11 to 92 (Age for 
males: Mean/SD- 44.73/24.26; Age for females: Mean/SD43.00/21.90). IBM SPSS 23.0 was used for data analysis. 
Means, standard deviation, relationship among the 
variables were recorded with results displayed in tables and 
charts.
Results: Pus discharge was found in two of the cases, 
giants’ cells in 3, 16 had lobular pattern and 12 non-lobular. 
All the cases showed presence of numerous capillary 
channels.
Conclusion: The nomenclature change of pyogenic 
granuloma to lobular capillary hemangioma is partly
reflected and supported by the results of this study. 
However, we equally found cases of pyogenic granuloma 
which do not support the nomenclature change. Therefore, 
further studies need to be carried out to ascertain the very 
nature of cases with pus and giant cells. Although, some 
studies adduced reasons for the presence of pus in some of 
the cases, but those reasons apparently do not apply in the 
cases found in this study. The issue about the presence of 
giant cells should be further explored.