Uremic Leontiasis Ossea

Abstract

While renal osteodystrophy is a common complication of chronic renal failure which is caused by secondary hyperparathyroidism, it is rare that the bony changes result in a severe progressive overgrowth of the bones of the face such that the patient is at risk for breathing and feeding difficulties. When this occurs, it is called uremic leontiasis ossea and patients who suffer from this rare, severe complication of renal osteodystrophy may go undiagnosed or be misdiagnosed resulting improper management due to its limited discussion in the literature. We report a case of a 42-year-old man with end-stage renal disease who was unable to receive dialysis consistently for many years who was found to have a large hard mass on the palate and palate ulcers.