PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was to retrospectively analyze the clinicopathologic features and treatment of oral pyogenic granuloma in Jordanian patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Information regarding 108 cases of pyogenic granuloma of the oral cavity that underwent biopsy were retrieved from the records of patients seen at the maxillofacial and periodontology units of the Faculty of Dentistry, Jordan University of Science and Technology, during an 11-year period from 1991 to 2001. Data were reviewed and analyzed for age, gender, site, treatment, and clinical and histopathologic features.

RESULTS: Patient ages ranged from 3 to 85 years (mean, 30 years), with the greatest degree of occurrence (26.8%) in the second decade. The male-to-female ratio was 1:1.7. The mean age for females age was higher than that for males. The most frequently involved site was the gingiva (44.4%); other sites were the lips, tongue, buccal mucosa, and palate. Gingival pyogenic granulomas were more prevalent in the maxilla than in the mandible, with the anterior region of both jaws being more commonly affected. The labiobuccal gingiva of both jaws was more commonly affected. The main complaint was bleeding (59.3%), and almost half of the lesions had a pedunculated base, with surface ulceration in 9.2% of cases. The mean greatest granuloma diameter was 10 mm. All lesions were surgically excised, with 5.8% of cases known to have recurred.

CONCLUSIONS: The clinicopathologic features of oral pyogenic granuloma in Jordanians are similar to those of other whites. In this series, we found that with surgical excision of pyogenic granuloma, there was a low recurrence rate.