Giant Osteochondroma of the mandibular condyle and temporomandibular joint - A case report

Abstract

Osteochondroma is one of the common bone tumours but is rarely seen in the head and neck region. Osteochondroma of the mandibular condyle, extending to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is an infrequent occurrence. Patients commonly present with restricted mouth opening and malocclusion. Due to the significant overlap in features between chondromas and condylar hyperplasia, it is very likely to be misdiagnosed, resulting in treatment errors. In this report, an interesting case of a large osteochondroma of the mandibular condyle extending into the zygomatic and petrous part of the temporal bone involving the left TMJ in a 35-year-old female patient is described who presented with facial asymmetry and restricted mouth opening. This paper outlines the clinico-radiographic and histopathological features for diagnosis and appropriate treatment of osteochondroma.

Osteochondroma of the Mandibular Condyle: A Rare Case Presentation With Literature Review

“…Accordingly, the growth of this tumor could be attributed to stress within the insertion area of the lateral pterygoid muscle, wherein a concentration of cells with cartilaginous potential accumulates. This hypothesis gains support from the observation that the tumor most often emerges on the medial aspect of the condyle [ 6 ]. Hyperplasia of cartilaginous cells by tensional forces is the strongest hypothesis, because the condylar OC occurs commonly on the medial side (57%), followed by the anterior side (20%), and almost none occur in the lateral or superior aspects (<1%) [ 12 ].…”

“…Approximately 1% of OCs manifest in the head and neck region [ 6 ]. Within the head and neck area, the most prevalent locations are the coronoid process and the mandibular condyle [ 2 ].…”

“…The OC of the mandibular condyle is typically accompanied by various signs and symptoms, encompassing facial asymmetry, malocclusion, cross-bite on the opposite side, lateral open-bite on the affected side, deviation during mouth opening, restricted movement, discomfort and clicking, and alterations in condylar morphology [ 6 , 10 , 11 ]. Our patient presented with mandibular deviation, altered bite, and restricted movement.…”

“…Local recurrence for solitary OCs in instances involving long bones has been documented to be 2% [ 1 , 6 , 12 ]. Kwon et al reported that the recurrence rate of mandibular condylar OC was 1.3% (3 out of 236 cases) [ 12 ].…”

“…There are approximately 35.8% of benign bone tumors, with a reported 2% recurrence rate [ 1 , 6 , 7 ]. The OC is a rarity in the head and neck region.…”