Limitation of mouth opening caused by osteochondroma of the coronoid process

Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2011 Dec;112(6):e64-8. doi: 10.1016/j.tripleo.2011.05.020. Epub 2011 Jun 29.

Abstract

Background: Osteochondroma at the level of the coronoid process is unusual, causing a slowly progressive facial asymmetry and limitation of mouth opening. Histologically, it is a bone tumor covered by a thin capsule of cartilage. We present a literature review of cases published to date and present a new case in which osteochondroma originating in the coronoid process was associated with the formation of a cyst at the body of the zygoma, necessitating the reconstruction of the body of the zygoma.

Study design: A 55-year-old woman had a bone tumor in the right malar region, producing a limitation in mouth opening. After preoperative computerized tomography, we decided to excise the lesion and pseudocyst with the use of a combined subciliary and coronal approach, reconstructing the body of the zygoma with a cortical chip of calvarian bone.

Results: The patient regained normal mouth opening, without injury to the fronto-orbital branches of the facial nerve and no recurrence of the tumor to date.

Conclusions: Osteochondroma is a slow-growing tumor that causes progressive facial asymmetry and limitation of mouth opening. The treatment of choice for symptomatic osteochondromas is surgical resection.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Bone Cysts / etiology
  • Facial Asymmetry / etiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional / methods
  • Mandibular Neoplasms / complications*
  • Middle Aged
  • Osteochondroma / complications*
  • Plastic Surgery Procedures / methods
  • Radiography, Panoramic
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods
  • Trismus / etiology*
  • Zygoma / pathology