The histological changes in hydantoinate gingivitis.

The histological features of the gingival hyper. trophy caused by the prolonged administration of ."' hydantoinate drugs have been described by Glickman and Lewitus (1941), Ziskin, Stowe, and :. 4 ; Zegarelli (1941), Zegarelli and Ziskin (1943), and "'\> I by Esterberg and White (1945). The interval t 0. between the beginningdosage oi'the drug and the , l ^ # appearance of the gingival hypertrophy has varied 4 within wide limits. Some cases were seen by Esterberg and White four years after its beginning, but neither they nor the previous workers have-, specified the duration of the gingival condition at v the time of the biopsy. Some of the histological findings have given rise to concern over the possibility of malignant change intervening in the hyperplastic epithelium; Esterberg and White reported :05 the opinion of certain pathologists that "malignancy could not be dismissed entirely." It is, -: therefore, of interest to record the following case in ;l which histological examination has followed what -.-might well be a longer period of continued epanutin administration than in those cases previously reported. Case Report FIG. 2.-Acanthosis and granulomatous lesions in the corium. Haematoxylin and eosin, x 30. The patient was admitted to the Fountain Hospital at the age of 3 years and 8 months with microcephaly, after treatment was begun, although it may have been epilepsy, right-sided hemiplegia, and idiocy. She was present before. The patient died at the age of 12 in given epanutin, gr. i daily, for two years before her status epilepticus. death, and hypertrophic gingivitis was noticed a year Pathology