The University Hospital of the University of Navarra has carried out a complicated surgical operation on a child who had a particularly large benign tumour located in the mandibular region. The procedure involved the extraction of the lower jaw and its substitution by a bone transplant from the fibula of the patient.
The pathology, known as cherubism or familial fibrous dysplasia of the jaws, is a fairly rare condition (although not unheard of) and congenital. It shows itself at about the age of three, usually in males. Multiple benign tumours – known as giant cell granulomas - appear on the mandibula and also, on occasions, on the upper jaw. As a consequence, an increase in the size of these bone structures takes place which, in turn, produces facial deformity. In more than 90% of these cases the defect is not particularly noticeable and a normal life can be led; in fact, many scientific articles discard surgery as normally the ailment stabilises on the growth coming to an end.
Infrequent case
The child treated at the University Hospital showed an infrequent case of cherubism. An explosive growth of one or more of the granulomas caused the tumour to reach 10cm diameter and 400gr weight in a few months. After confirming the diagnosis the decision was taken to carry out surgery, given that the infirmity was continuing to evolve, which could have caused serious psychological damage to the child.