Gorham-Stout syndrome of the facial bones: a review of pathogenesis and treatment modalities and report of a case with a rare cutaneous manifestations

Abstract

Gorham disease is a very rare condition associated with spontaneous destruction and resorption of 1 or more bones anywhere in the body. Many authors have suggested and/or implicated trauma as the initiating factor in the majority of the reported cases. It can affect almost all bones, and a combination of bones has been reported. In the maxillofacial skeleton, the first facial case was reported by Romer in 1928. Until now, only a few cases of Gorham disease affecting the maxillofacial bones, including this case report, have been reported. We present a brief review of the pathogenesis and treatment modalities of the disease and report a very rare clinical picture of the disease affecting a young and otherwise healthy patient with massive osteolysis of the mandibular bone and extensive involvement of the mouth floor and skin of the chin, which to our knowledge, is the only case report with skin manifestation affecting the maxillofacial region. Such skin manifestations play an important role for the diagnosis and add a clue for management of such condition.