Periparotid lupus erythematosus panniculitis. Clinicopathologic correlation of two cases presenting as primary parotid disease.

Lupus erythematosus (LE) panniculitis, also called lupus profundus, is an uncommon but well-established manifestation of both chronic cutaneous (discoid) LE and systemic LE. Although LE panniculitis characteristically may involve the face, specific parotid and periparotid involvement has not, to the best of our knowledge, been previously reported. We describe the clinicopathologic correlation of two cases of LE panniculitis that presented as apparent primary parotid parenchymal disease; one as a neoplasm, the other as parotiditis. Failure to recognize LE panniculitis resulted in prolonged periods of inappropriate therapy and significant morbidity, including an unnecessary parotidectomy. Lupus erythematosus panniculitis has well-established histologic criteria that should be considered in the differential diagnosis of an unexplained parotid mass.