Preauricular Swelling Mimicking a Tumour: Dissolution of Mandibular Capitulum Following Trauma in a 15-Year Old Child

Abstract

Aim: The report is about diagnosis, therapy, and follow-up of a 15-year old boy, who experienced facial swelling and impaired mouth opening after a sport accident.

Case report: Diagnosis of mandibular damage was delayed due to inadequate clinical investigation and radiography after trauma and only became clear after a parotid swelling occurred sometime later resulting from the dissolution of the upper part of the articular process. Follow-up control over a period of three years showed a partial restoration of the articular process but some inhibition of mouth opening combined with slight deviation of the mandible to the affected side remained over the years.

Conclusion: This report reminds us that parotid swelling can be the result of mandibular trauma without a recent history of physical injury to this region. Therefore, the basic standards of radiologic diagnosis should be maintained and the limited restoring capacity of the condylar process in adolescence should be acknowledged.

Keywords: Mandible; anatomy; capitulum; condyle; fracture; necrosis; vascularization.