Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2019 Jan-Jun;9(1):168-173.
doi: 10.4103/ams.ams_218_18.

Maxillary Fungal Osteomyelitis: A Review of Literature and Report of a Rare Case

Affiliations
Review

Maxillary Fungal Osteomyelitis: A Review of Literature and Report of a Rare Case

Ankita Srivastava et al. Ann Maxillofac Surg. 2019 Jan-Jun.

Abstract

Fungal osteomyelitis is a life-threatening and seldom seen opportunistic infection. It is commonly an affectation of the nose and paranasal sinuses within the orofacial region. It is an aggressive infection that needs to be addressed promptly to prevent fatal consequences. Here, we present a case of a 62-year-old female who presented with complaints of pain and pus discharge from the extraction socket of the left maxillary 23, 24, 25, 26 teeth. She had a history of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus. On further investigation, using diagnostic and Interventional aids, a final diagnosis of maxillary fungal osteomyelitis was made. The infective fungal agents were a mixture of Mucorales and Aspergillus species. A review of all literatures on the subject in the past 13 years using different search engines showed that craniofacial fungal infections with primary maxillary involvement are a rare phenomenon. The primary aim of reporting this case, therefore, is to highlight its rarity, presentation, management and most importantly the outcome of management.

Keywords: Aspergillosis; concomitant infection; fungal osteomyelitis; mucormycosis; opportunistic infection.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Diagram 1
Diagram 1
Distribution of underlying debilitating diseases
Figure 1
Figure 1
Image showing osteomyelitic changes of the left maxillary alveolus
Figure 2
Figure 2
Noncontrast computerized tomographic scan of face showing osteolysis of maxilla (Left) involving maxillary antrum
Figure 3
Figure 3
Three-dimensional reconstruction of computed tomography showing bone destruction and erosion of the left maxilla with antral involvement
Figure 4
Figure 4
Photograph of the patient following debridement and sequestrectomy performed from the palatal aspect
Figure 5
Figure 5
Microscopic view showing branching fungal hyphae and spores (Hematoxylin and Eosin Stain with, ×10)
Figure 6
Figure 6
Microscopic view showing non septate wide branched hyphae (PAS, ×40)
Figure 7
Figure 7
Microscopic view showing nonseptate wide branched and septate acute angle branching hyphae (GMS, ×40)
Figure 8
Figure 8
Follow-up image after 2 years

References

    1. Verma A, Singh V, Jindal N, Yadav S. Necrosis of maxilla, nasal, and frontal bone secondary to extensive rhino-cerebral mucormycosis. Natl J Maxillofac Surg. 2013;4:249–51. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Spellberg B, Edwards J, Jr, Ibrahim A. Novel perspectives on mucormycosis: Pathophysiology, presentation, and management. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2005;18:556–69. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Leitner C, Hoffmann J, Zerfowski M, Reinert S. Mucormycosis: Necrotizing soft tissue lesion of the face. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2003;61:1354–8. - PubMed
    1. Roden MM, Zaoutis TE, Buchanan WL, Knudsen TA, Sarkisova TA, Schaufele RL, et al. Epidemiology and outcome of zygomycosis: A review of 929 reported cases. Clin Infect Dis. 2005;41:634–53. - PubMed
    1. Chermetz M, Gobbo M, Rupel K, Ottaviani G, Tirelli G, Bussani R, et al. Combined orofacial aspergillosis and mucormycosis: Fatal complication of a recurrent paediatric glioma-case report and review of literature. Mycopathologia. 2016;181:723–33. - PubMed