[Tumors affecting the temporomandibular joint - a literature review]

Benign and malign tumors can affect the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) as any other articulation. Nevertheless, TMJ tumors are rare and mostly benign. Their clinical expression is varied including symptomatology similar to TMJ dysfunctional disorders, otologic or neurologic pathologies. In some cases, they remain totally asymptomatic. Hence, diagnosis is difficult since the symptomatology can be misleading with TMJ dysfunctional disorders or otologic disorders wrongly diagnosed. There is thus frequently a long delay between symptoms onset and diagnosis. The great variety of TMJ lesions explains the wide range of possible treatment modalities, mostly based on surgery. We provide here a review of the lesions originating from the TMJ. Tumoral or cystic mandibular lesion affecting the TMJ through local extension will not be discussed. Osteoma, osteoid osteoma, osteoblastoma, chondroma, osteochondroma, chondroblastoma, tenosynovial giant cell tumors, giant cell lesions, non-ossifying fibroma, hemangioma, lipoma or Langerhans cell histiocytosis are all possible diagnosis among the benign tumors found in the TMJ. Pseudotumors include synovial chondromatosis and aneurysmal bone cyst. Finally, malign tumors of the TMJ include mainly sarcomas (osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, synovial sarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, and fibrosarcoma), but also multiple myeloma and secondary metastases. We will review the clinical, radiological and histological aspects of each of these lesions. The treatment and the recurrence risk will also be discussed.

[Chondrosarcoma arising in solitary osteochondroma: a case study]

Chondrosarcoma is a rare malignant bone tumor. It can arise de novo or secondary to a malignant transformation of a benign underlying cartilage tumor. Secondary chondrosarcoma arising from solitary benign osteochondroma is extremely rare and data show that the reported incidence of osteochondroma of the pelvis is very low. We here report the case of a 20-year old patient with chondrosarcoma secondary to malignant transformation of an osteochondroma of the right wing of ilium, adjacent to the sacroiliac joint.

[Acute lower limb ischemia secondary to femoral osteochondroma]

Osteochondromas or bone exostoses are bone tumors commonly found in adolescents or young adults. These benign tumors are usually incidentally discovered, exceptionally by a vascular or nervous complication. We report the case of a 22-year-old patient presenting with left femoral exostosis revealed by an acute ischemia of the lower limb. Clinical examination of the contralateral limb was without abnormality. Computed tomography angiography revealed a thrombosed aneurysm of the supra articular popliteal artery associated to an exostosis of the lower extremity of the femur. Surgical treatment was recommended in this patient: resection of the popliteal aneurysm associated with a end-to-end suture of the popliteal artery and resection of bone exostosis.

[Management of popliteal artery pseudoaneurysms as a result of limb trauma and orthopedic surgery or associated with osteochondromas]

Most published articles regarding popliteal artery pseudoaneurysms (PAPs) are case reports and in English language literature. In this context, no study with robust data was previously published. The exact epidemiology of these APs is not well-known and their management is not yet codified. We wanted to summarize the current knowledge on diagnostic and therapeutic features of PAPs as a result of limb trauma and orthopedic surgery or associated with osteochondromas. An electronic research on MEDLINE and EMBASE between 1953 and March 2015 was performed; using the key words "popliteal pseudoaneurysm". The referenced articles were selectively read and this systematic review included 116 articles. Patient demographics; clinical presentations; diagnostic and therapeutic features were reviewed. In sum, 122 cases were analyzed. Overall young adult (average age=30.48±21.25 years old) represented the majority of the affected population with a masculine preponderance (79%). The main etiologies included femoral exostosis (63%), followed by the orthopedic surgery (25%) and direct trauma into the knee (10%). Painful swelling (44%) and/or pulsatile mass (39%) represented the most commonly presenting symptoms. The commonest radiological investigations used included arteriography (49%) and CTA (27%). The treatment was open surgical repair (85%) or endovascular stenting graft (14%). Post-therapeutic courses were often uneventful (98%). The morbidity rate was low at about 2%. The treatment of direct post-traumatic PAPs was usually open surgical repair (83%) with saphenous vein grafting. Endovascular stenting may be an ideal option for managing PAPs following orthopedic surgery (88%). Open surgery for vascular repair and maximum exostectomy must be undertaken concomitantly in the setting of APs associated with osteochondromas.

[Transoral coronoidectomy: Technical note]

INTRODUCTION

Among the skeletal causes of limited mouth opening, uni- or bilateral coronoid process hypertrophy, or Langenbeck disease, is the most frequent. It can be associated with an osteochondroma or a coronoid-malar bone conflict and is then called Jacob disease, an unilateral pathology. Treatment rests on coronoidectomy in both cases. This technique is illustrated via two cases, one Langenbeck and one Jacob disease.

TECHNICAL NOTE

A transoral approach was performed. After subperiosteal dissection, the coronoid process was cleared. The process was than severed at its base by means of a burr, freed from its temporal muscular fibers and removed. Mouth opening improved peroperatively. The surgical procedure was completed by active long-term physiotherapy beginning immediately after surgery.

DISCUSSION

Transoral coronoidectomy is a simple, quick and safe procedure. Extra-oral approaches present a high risk of facial nerve injury. In our first case, mouth opening improved from 24 to 36 mm after bilateral coronoidectomy and to 40 mm after physiotherapy. In our second case, mouth opening improved from 22 to 38 mm after unilateral coronoidectomy and to 43 mm after one year physiotherapy. Long-term post-operative physiotherapy is mandatory to get and maintain good results.

[Femoral artery pseudoaneurysms encountered in orthopedics and traumatology]

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Most published articles regarding orthopedic- and trauma-related femoral artery pseudoaneurysms (FAPs) are case reports in English. Reported cases are often associated with a literature review but actually provide little robust data. We wanted to summarize the current knowledge on diagnostic and therapeutic features of these FAPs.

METHODS

A new case of superficial FAP is described followed by a review of the literature. A bibliographic search was performed online (PubMed, ScinceDirect) from 1964 to 2015 using the descriptors "traumatic femoral pseudoaneurysm, orthopedic surgery, osteochondroma".

RESULTS

A total of 64 cases of FAPs was analyzed. There were 50 men with an average age of 40.72±26.45 years old. The most common clinical presentation was painful swelling (34%). Arteriography was the commonest radiological investigation used (63%). The main etiologies were orthopedic injuries (47%), surgery of the upper thigh (30%) and femoral osteochondromas (23%). Arterial injuries included superficial femoral (47%) and profunda femoris artery (50%). The treatment was open surgery (56%) or endovascular repair (36%). Deep femoral artery and its branches were embolized (47%) or ligated (38%). Endovascular stenting was performed in 30% of posttraumatic FAPs. All FAPs relating to osteochondromas were repaired surgically. Postoperative courses were uneventful in 95% of patients.

CONCLUSION

Endovascular embolization is preferred in management of postsurgical FAPs which have usually involved the deep femoral artery. Endovascular stenting graft may be proposed for posttraumatic FAPs, for which the superficial femoral trunk is the most often involved vessel. Surgical repair should be performed when endovascular stenting graft is not feasible. Surgical repair is mandatory for all FAPs secondary to traumatic exostoses.