Sinonasal and Infratemporal Schwannoma: Rare Case Report with Literature Review.

Schwann cells are responsible for the production of the myelin sheath around the axons of the peripheral nervous system. Benign neoplasms which originate from Schwann cells are hence termed Schwannomas or Neurilemmomas. They present as slow-growing, solitary, encapsulated, benign masses usually in association with nerve trunks. Schwannomas are relatively rare tumors with 25-45% occurring in the head and neck region. These case reports aim to describe the presentations, work-up, and treatment of two patients with head and neck schwannoma in atypical locations. Both patients had a history of gradually increasing swelling, the first originating from the sino-nasal region and the second from the temporal/ infratemporal region. Complete surgical excision of the tumor was done in both cases with no reported recurrence at 18 months follow-up. The final diagnosis was made based on histopathology and immunohistochemistry findings. Schwannomas often present a diagnostic dilemma and should be considered a possibility in all head and neck tumors. Recurrence is rare.

Management of paediatric ankylosis.

Temporomandibular joint ankylosis (TMJa) is one of the most crippling craniomaxillofacial pathological conditions characterized by replacement of normal architecture of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) with fibrous or bony tissue. The incidence of TMJa is most common in the paediatric population [first and second decades of life] and is commonly associated with maxillofacial trauma. Comprehensive management entails a thorough evaluation of the associated anatomy of the ankylotic mass and other pertinent details like the presence or absence of obstructive sleep apnoea. Categorizing patients based on these variables helps in selecting an appropriate surgical intervention. Various resective and reconstructive surgical techniques are discussed; along with their merits and demerits. Long-term physiotherapy, long-term clinical follow-up and appropriate family counselling are the essential pillars for success. In this review, the authors present an algorithmic approach to evaluation and management of paediatric TMJa. Appropriate recommendations are made based on evidence to select optimum surgical intervention.

Low-dose methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis: a potential risk factor for bisphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis of the jaw.

Bisphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis of the jaw [BIONJ] is a relatively new pathological condition which was first described in the year 2003. The prevalence of BIONJ in patients on oral formulations is around 0.05% within the first 3 years and increases up to 0.2% after 4 years of consumption. Proven systemic risk factors like anemia, uncontrolled diabetes, corticosteroid therapy, and chemotherapy in neoplastic diseases [e.g., high doses of methotrexate up to 30 mg daily] significantly increase the chances of acquiring BIONJ. We present three patients with osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis [RA] who consumed oral bisphosphonates [alendronate] for less than 1 year and developed BIONJ within 2 to 5 months of undergoing a traumatic dental procedure. The patients also gave a history of consuming low doses of methotrexate [disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs] up to 20 mg weekly for 4 to 10 years. No history of steroid consumption was given by any of the patients. This case series highlights the possibility of rheumatoid arthritis and low-dose methotrexate being potential risk factors for BIONJ. This may be on account of the synergistic effect of methotrexate and bisphosphonates and the pro-inflammatory state created by RA which increased the risk of acquiring BIONJ.

Peripheral myxoma of the infratemporal region: An unusual case report.

Odontogenic myxoma (OM) is a rare locally invasive benign neoplasm, almost exclusively occurring in the jawbones, comprising 3-6% of all the odontogenic tumors. The mandible is more commonly involved than the maxilla. Intraoral soft tissue myxoma is an extremely rare lesion and only few reports are available in the literature. We present probably the first of its kind in literature a soft tissue OM occurring in an unusual location: the infratemporal fossa.

Osteochondroma of the mandibular condyle - Report of an atypical case and the importance of computed tomography.

Osteochondroma is a rare tumor of the mandibular condyle. Much confusion seems to exist in the literature in differentiating these tumors from chondromas as well as condylar hyperplasias. Due to considerable overlapping features between chondromas and condylar hyperplasia, it is likely to get misdiagnosed, thereby resulting in inadvertent errors in the treatment. A case report of a 35 year old male patient with mandibular deviation and malocclusion is presented here. He initially went unnoticed for features of an osteochondroma of the mandibular condyle but was subsequently treated for the same.