A special case of synovial chondromatosis in the temporomandibular joint

Abstract

Synovial chondromatosis (SC) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a rare disorder that affects the synovial membrane of joints. Its nonspecific manifestations, such as orofacial pain or joint sounds upon mouth opening, are difficult to distinguish from the symptoms of conventional temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD). This paper reports a 22-year-old female having primary complaint of pain and mouth opening limitations in the left TMJ. She was referred from local clinics, after two years of treatments for TMD had failed. Computed tomography revealed conglomerated calcified bodies in the superior joint space of the left TMJ. Open surgery was performed successfully under general anesthesia, and a total of 124 calcified masses were removed from the joint. The histopathological findings confirmed synovial chondromatosis. Postoperatively, improvement was observed in the patients symptoms.