Successful Treatment of Maxillary Mucormycosis: Report of a Case and Literature Review

Successful Treatment of Maxillary Mucormycosis: Report of a Case and Literature Review

Opportunistic fungal infections, such as mucormycosis, often occur in immunocompromised patients. Predisposing conditions include metabolic disorders (e.g. uncontrolled diabetes), corticosteroid or immunosuppressive therapy, desferoxamine therapy, burns, solid organ or bone marrow transplants, or neutropenic hematologic malignant diseases and their corresponding treatment. The infection begins in the nose and paranasal sinuses due to inhalation of fungal spores. The infection can spread to orbital and intracranial structures either by direct invasion or through the blood vessels. The fungus invades the arteries leading to thrombosis that subsequently causes necrosis of hard and soft tissues. We report a case of maxillary necrosis by mucormycosis in an uncontrolled diabetic patient and its successful treatment to emphasize that early diagnosis and prompt treatment can reduce the mortality and morbidity of this lethal fungal infection.