Definition

Macroglossia is a disorder in which the tongue is larger than normal.

Information

Macroglossia is most often caused by an increase in the amount of tissue in the tongue, rather than by a growth, such as a tumor.

This condition can be seen in certain inherited or congenital (existing at birth) disorders, including:

• Acromegaly (buildup of too much growth hormone in the body)
• Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (growth disorder that causes large body size, large organs, and other symptoms)
• Congenital hypothyroidism (decreased production of thyroid hormone)
• Diabetes (high blood sugar caused by body producing too little or no insulin)
• Down syndrome (extra copy of chromosome 21, which causes problems with physical and intellectual functioning)
• Lymphangioma or hemangioma (malformations in the lymph system or buildup of blood vessels in the skin or internal organs)
• Mucopolysaccharidoses (a group of diseases that cause large amounts of sugar to build up in the body's cells and tissues)
• Primary amyloidosis (a buildup of abnormal proteins in the body's tissues and organs)

References

Alwani MM, Makki FM, Robbins KT. Physiology of the oral cavity. In: Flint PW, Francis HW, Haughey BH, et al, eds. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 86.

Jones KL, Jones MC, del Campo M. Early overgrowth with associated defects. In: Jones KL, Jones MC, del Campo M, eds. Smith's Recognizable Patterns of Human Malformation. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022: F, 198-225.

Rose E. Pediatric upper airway obstruction and infections. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 162.