Mucormycosis of the head and neck

Abstract Introduction Mucormycosis of the head and neck is a rare disease increasingly occurring in immunocompromised patients. We report on two cases with different outcomes. Case reports A 63-year-old female presented with a recently developed deformation of her right cheek and nose combined with a loosening of the teeth. Further examination revealed mucormycosis of the maxilla. Hemimaxillectomy and secondary bony reconstruction with oral rehabilitation were performed. The second patient was a 54-year-old male who suffered from multiple myeloma. After receiving an allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant, he developed a necrotizing infection of the right midface. Histopathological investigation confirmed the diagnosis of mucormycosis. The patient died one day after radical surgical resection. Discussion These two cases demonstrate the variability of mucormycosis. Although slow progression of the disease is possible, a high level of attentiveness and expedient treatment are necessary due to the high risk of a devastating course.