Innovative Combination of Tetracycline Rinse and CO₂ Laser Ablation for Treating White Sponge Nevus in Adolescents: A Case Study

BACKGROUND White sponge nevus (WSN) is rare, hereditary oral mucosa disorder. This condition usually presents as asymptomatic white coatings on mucous membranes that vary in intensity and thickness. Changes are usually observed on the oral cavity mucosa, and other mucosal sites of involvement include nasal, esophageal, and anogenital. In most cases this condition is considered benign since the plaques cause no pain, with no risk of malignant transformation. Thorough clinical and histopathological examination is indicated to exclude other similar conditions and to avoid unnecessary treatment. CASE REPORT We present a new case of white sponge nevus in a 13-year-old Polish girl with history of familial involvement. The patient had been treated with low-dosage tetracycline rinse (0.25%) for 3 months, and slight reduction in lesions was observed. Laser, ablation was performed with a CO₂ laser, the lesions recurred after half a year. It is the first published case report of WSN lesions on the oral mucosa treated with CO₂ laser. The patient remains under observation. CONCLUSIONS Because therapeutic options recommended in the literature provide only partial improvement or are unsuccessful, further research is still needed to develop treatment methods for patients with WSN. CO₂ laser ablation, although promising, cannot be regarded as an effective treatment method for white sponge nevus.