Presence of Civatte Bodies in an oral lichen planus incisional biopsy sample

ABSTRACT Objective: Civatte bodies are colloid bodies of apoptotic keratinocytes located at the dermoepidermal junction and are common in several dermatoses, including lichen planus lesions. The present study aimed to determine the presence of Civatte bodies in a sample of incisional biopsies obtained from patients diagnosed with oral lichen planus. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study, carried out with 34 slides stained with hematoxylin-eosin from the archive of an Oral Pathology Laboratory of a Higher Education Institution. The sample obtained was classified into white and red lesions from the available clinical data. Histological analyses were performed under a light microscope, with 10x and 40x objectives, identifying the presence or absence of Civatte bodies. Results: Colloid bodies were present in 73.5% the total sample studied and in 74.2% white lesions. Conclusion: The Civatte bodies were frequent in all samples analysed and should thus be considered a criterion for histological diagnosis in lesions of Oral Lichen Planus.