Anesthetic management of congenital epulis in a newborn: a case report

The epulis of the newborn is a granular cell tumor that originates from the mucosa of the gingiva. CASE PRESENTATION: The authors report a case of a 4-day-old neonate with a large mass arising from the right upper gingival area and occupying most of the oral cavity who presented for surgery with a potentially difficult airway. Intubation was achieved uneventfully using a gaseous induction with an appropriate-size facemask and displacement of the epulis to allow cautious laryngoscopy. DISCUSSION: General anesthesia offers good airway protection and also alleviates the stress and pain associated with the surgery. CONCLUSION: Congenital epulis is a relatively rare congenital tumor of a newborn, which is one of the causes of difficult airways in neonates and children. However, after slight manipulation of the tumor, endotracheal intubation for the administration of general anesthesia is attainable.