Hemangiomas have been found in many of the structures of interest to the otolaryngologist,1 including the external and middle ear,2 the nasal bones3,4 and septum,5 the tonsils,6 the maxillary sinus,7 the soft palate,8 the larynx,9 the tongue,10 and other parts of the face and the oral cavity.11,12 A few cases of cavernous hemangioma of the lip have been reported,11-14 and another case is presented in this communication.
Cavernous hemangiomas are congenital vascular malformations differing from other hemangiomas (capillary, simplex) in that the blood spaces are larger and more irregular and have no walls. They are made up of blood cavities lined with epithelial cells and filled with red blood cells. Some cavernous hemangiomas are connected with the large blood vessels in the area and are subject to severe hemorrhage as a result of trauma.12
Although cavernous hemangiomas may