Cranio-facial fibrous dysplasia in a 38-year-old African woman: a case history

A 38-year-old woman sought treatment with cranio-facial dysplasia involving the cranium, maxilla and the mandible, Her chief complaint was a mandibula r swelling, which had appeared about 2 years previously, had gradually enla rged, and was associated with spontaneous pain. X-ray film examination reve aled a ground-glass opacity with blurred demarcation and a 99 Tc medronate bone scan disclosed an increase in tracer uptake in the cranium, maxilla an d mandible. The rest of the skeleton was not affected. Histological examina tion of the lesions revealed solid proliferation of spindle-shaped cells as sociated with islands of osteid and bone trabecullae with Chinese letter pa ttern and numerous multinucleated giant cells consistent with fibrous dyspl asia, The continued osteoblastic activity of involved bones, coupled with t he medical condition of the patient, restricted the management of the patie nt to largely supportive and palliative care.