A case of angina bullosa haemorrhagica on the dordal surface of the tongue

An 80-year-old man presented with an oozing dark reddish nodule on the dorsal surface of the tongue. Dermoscopy revealed the lesion was a hemorrhagic bulla which healed spontaneously without scarring 1 week later. Based on the clinical findings, a diagnosis of angina bullosa haemorrhagica (ABH) was made. ABH is characterized by one or more hemorrhagic blisters of the oral mucosa with sudden onset, especially on the soft palate of middle-aged or elderly persons, usually without any identified systemic disorder. Most lesions rupture spontaneously and heal without scarring. Recurrence is common. Although the pathogenesis is still unclear, local trauma seems to be the most plausible precipitating factor. ABH may not be a very rare condition, but only a few reports have been published in the dermatological literature. As far as we are aware, this is the first report which showed dermoscopic examination of ABH.