Amyloid angiopathy of the floor of the mouth: a case report and review of the literature

Amyloidosis is a rare disease characterised by the deposition of insoluble extracellular fibrillar proteins in various tissues of the body. The pattern of manifestation is organ dependent and also on whether the disease is localised or systemic, primary or secondary. Though the disease is usually fatal with a 5-year survival rate of 20%, there is still paucity of literature on this disease entity worldwide. Diagnosis has remained mostly at autopsy. A case of amyloid angiopathy involving the submandibular gland and floor of the mouth with an associated fatal bleed is reported. The purpose of this case report is to reiterate the importance of a high index of suspicion in the approach to the management of head and neck swellings.