Chemical burn in the oral cavity caused by contact with a Portuguese man-of-war (Physalia Physalis): an unusual case report

Quemadura química en la cavidad bucal causada por contacto con la Carabela Portuguesa (Physalia physalis): un caso inusual

Authors

  • Andrés Acosta-Acuña Dentist. Resident of Stomatology and Oral Surgery, University of Cartagena, Colombia https://orcid.org/0009-0009-8497-5772
  • Ramón Pedraza-Parra Dentist. Specialist in Stomatology and Oral Surgery. Professor, University of Cartagena, Colombia https://orcid.org/0009-0009-7947-0366
  • Jorge Pérez-Benavides Dentist. Specialist in Stomatology and Oral Surgery. Professor, University of Cartagena, Colombia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4502-7760
  • Jonathan Harris-Ricardo Dentist. MSc Molecular Microbiology, Specialist in Stomatology and Oral Surgery. Professor, University of Cartagena and Rafael Núñez University Corporation, Cartagena, Colombia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4662-0729
  • Jaime Plazas-Román Dentist. Master in Bioinformatics, Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar. Specialist in Pediatric Dentistry and maxillary orthopedics, Professor at Universidad de Cartagena, Cartagena. Professor Universidad del Sinú, seccional Cartagena, Cartagena. Research Group GITOUC https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5040-6899
  • Antonio Díaz-Caballero Dentist. PhD Biomedical Sciences, MSc in Education, Specialist in Periodontics. Professor, University of Cartagena. Research Group Director GITOUC https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9693-2969

Keywords:

Portuguese man-of-war, Physalia physalis, Oral cavity, Chemical burn, Marine envenomation

Abstract

Background: The Portuguese man-of-war (Physalia physalis) is a marine siphonophore whose venomous tentacles can cause severe chemical burns. Oral cavity involvement is extremely rare and poorly documented in medical literature. Case Report: A 43-year-old male presented with painful oral lesions after accidentally ingesting a Portuguese man-of-war tentacle during marine activities. Clinical examination revealed a 4×1.5 cm ulcerative lesion on the left hard palate with erythematous and necrotic zones. The marine biology laboratory confirmed the identification of the tentacles. Treatment included topical pharmacological therapy with nystatin, hydrocortisone, vitamins A and E, lidocaine, systemic antibiotics, analgesics, and corticosteroids. Histopathological analysis confirmed chemical burn with extensive ulceration and necrosis. Complete healing was achieved after 30 days with minimal residual erythema.

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Published

2026-06-09

How to Cite

Acosta-Acuña, A., Pedraza-Parra, R., Pérez-Benavides, J., Harris-Ricardo, J., Plazas-Román, J., & Díaz-Caballero, A. (2026). Chemical burn in the oral cavity caused by contact with a Portuguese man-of-war (Physalia Physalis): an unusual case report: Quemadura química en la cavidad bucal causada por contacto con la Carabela Portuguesa (Physalia physalis): un caso inusual. Gaceta Médica De Caracas, 134(2), 617–623. Retrieved from https://saber.ucv.ve/ojs/index.php/rev_gmc/article/view/33078

Issue

Vol. 134 No. 2 (2026)

Section

CASOS CLÍNICOS

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Gaceta Médica de Caracas

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

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