title: Giant ameloblastoma: report of an extreme case and a description of its treatment.
abstract: Ameloblastoma is an odontogenic tumor that usually occurs in the mandible. It is an aggressive but benign tumor of epithelial origin that is rarely metastatic. We report the case of a 53-year-old woman who had a massive ameloblastoma of the mandible. The tumor measured 15.2 x 11.4 x 12.0 cm. The patient had oral bleeding that required a transfusion. The workup included three-dimensional imaging, arteriography, and embolization to control bleeding. Surgical management entailed the resection of the entire left mandible and right symphysis, followed by reconstruction with a free fibular flap. To our knowledge, this is the largest reported ameloblastoma managed with three-dimensional imaging, radical resection, and free-flap reconstruction. This article also reviews aspects of the differential diagnosis, pathology, and management of jaw tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, D.C., USA. chughesmd@aol.com
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Olding
mesh_terms: D000564:Ameloblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005360:Fibula / Q000637:transplantation*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008339:Mandibular Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016378:Tissue Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome