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Case report
Unusual case of soft palate and uvula haematoma in a patient on anticoagulant drugs
  1. Stephanie Farrugia1,
  2. Karl Sapiano1 and
  3. Robert Sciberras2
  1. 1Department of Internal Medicine, Mater Dei Hospital, Msida, Malta
  2. 2Department of Internal Medicine, Queen Mary University of London Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rabat, Gozo, Malta
  1. Correspondence to Dr Stephanie Farrugia; stephanie.f.farrugia{at}gov.mt

Abstract

A 91-year-old Caucasian man on warfarin for atrial fibrillation presented in view of sudden-onset haemoptysis with fresh bleeding with clots immediately after having eaten a piping-hot traditional cheesecake (pastizz) and burning the soft-palate of his mouth. The haemoptysis had resolved by the time that the patient had arrived to hospital. On examination, a 2 cm by 2 cm dark red, solitary mass could be seen just anterior to the uvula. This was not causing any pain or discomfort to the patient. Blood results were mostly unremarkable except for a raised international normalised ratio (INR) of 3.53. The patient was administered 5 mg vitamin K orally in attempt to lower the INR level and warfarin was subsequently omitted for 7 days. He was also prescribed oral steroids on discharge. The lesion resolved in 7 days and warfarin was restarted then with no further consequences.

  • haematology (drugs and medicines)
  • ear
  • nose and throat/otolaryngology
  • therapeutic indications

https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2020-236513

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors SF, KS and RS contributed to the management of the case and also the reporting, photography and research involved for this case report.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Patient consent for publication Obtained.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.