The Juxtaoral Organ: From Anatomy to Clinical Relevance.

Gaia Favero,Rita Rezzani,Luigi Fabrizio Rodella

doi:10.3390/diagnostics12020552

Abstract

The juxtaoral organ was first described 1885 as a rudimentary structure that developed and disappeared in the embryonic period. Since then, it has been studied further and is now known to be a permanent anatomical structure of considerable importance in clinical, surgical and pathological fields. However, there are no precise and uniform descriptions about its anatomical localization and functional significance. Precise and in-depth anatomical knowledge is crucial to reducing the risk of incorrect identification of the juxtaoral organ, due to fact that this anatomical structure can be misinterpreted as a carcinoma, leading to unnecessary treatments. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to summarize the actual knowledge on the gross and microscopic anatomy of the juxtaoral organ and outline its clinical relevance in order to prevent unnecessary investigations/treatments of this anatomical pitfall. We believe that further studies are still needed to add new perspectives in relation to the juxtaoral organ.

Highlights

The ‘Chievitz Organ’ is a neuroepithelial bilateral anatomical structure located laterally to the walls of the oral cavity and featuring circumscribed epithelial cell nests [1,2,3,4,5].In 1885, during studies on salivary gland organogenesis in 10-week-old embryos, the Danish histologist Johan Henrik Chievitz first described this anatomical structure and presented it as a vestigial organ that disappeared before birth [6]
Salzer and Zenker proposed defining this anatomical structure as the ‘juxtaoral organ’, as it was later recognized in Terminologia Histologica: International Terms for Human Cytology and Histology (FICAT, 2008) and in the International Anatomical Terminology [9]
The juxtaoral organ being situated in the soft tissues of an anatomical area that is a common site of oral cancers and the fact that it presents epithelial nests, could lead to the false interpretation of an invasive carcinoma, leading to an unnecessary and extensive surgical procedure with a considerable impact on patient prognosis and quality of life [4,13,24,32,33]

Summary

Introduction

The ‘Chievitz Organ’ is a neuroepithelial (primarily) bilateral anatomical structure located laterally to the walls of the oral cavity and featuring circumscribed epithelial cell nests [1,2,3,4,5].In 1885, during studies on salivary gland organogenesis in 10-week-old embryos, the Danish histologist Johan Henrik Chievitz first described this anatomical structure (from whom the name is derived) and presented it as a vestigial organ that disappeared before birth [6]. Salzer and Zenker proposed defining this anatomical structure as the ‘juxtaoral organ’, as it was later recognized in Terminologia Histologica: International Terms for Human Cytology and Histology (FICAT, 2008) and in the International Anatomical Terminology [9]. To date, this organ may be found with various other names, such as orbital inclusion, buccopharyngeal tract, ramus mandibularis ductus parotidei or buccotemporal organ [10]. Despite the various studies on the juxtaoral organ, to date, the possible function(s) of the juxtaoral organ remains speculative

Objectives

Discussion

Conclusion