title: Gorham disease of the mandible.
abstract: Gorham disease, or massive osteolysis, is a rare condition of unknown etiology. The disease is characterized by spontaneous progressive osteolysis of 1 or more skeletal bones. The mandible is the most commonly involved bone in the maxillofacial region. This article reports a case of Gorham disease with mandibular involvement in a 46-year-old male patient with a 7-year follow-up. In this case, we performed lower right mandibular osteotomy and reconstruction with a phased titanium plate. Postoperative follow-up showed continued mandibular bone loss that was progressing to the contralateral mandible. Massive osteolysis of the mandible is a rare clinical condition that must be differentiated from mandibularosteomyelitis, benign and malignant tumors, as well as hyperparathyroidism. Improved differential diagnoses and disease follow-up are required to effectively manage massive osteolysis.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Affiliated Stomatological Hospital, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Su-Feng
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yu-Xin
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xu-Dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: En-Yi
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D001860:Bone Plates; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008336:Mandibular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008339:Mandibular Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D063168:Mandibular Osteotomy / Q000379:methods; D063175:Mandibular Reconstruction / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D010015:Osteolysis, Essential / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed / Q000379:methods