Synovial chondromatosis of the temporomandibular joint. Report of a case and review of the literature.

An illustrative case of synovial chondromatosis in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) region is presented, and 36 cases reported earlier are reviewed. The present patient, a 35-year-old woman, had been suffering from swelling and pain in the TMJ area as well as limited mandibular movements for 7 years. The condition had been treated with various conservative methods without any relief of the symptoms. Finally, radiological examination revealed calcified nodules within the joint space and a surgical exploration was performed. In all, 27 loose particles were removed from the joint in connection with the extirpation of the perforated and deformed disk. The result of surgical therapy has been favourable during the follow-up period of 18 months. Although synovial chondromatosis is rare in the TMJ, it should be kept in mind as one possible disease when treating patients suffering from symptoms similar to those of mandibular dysfunction syndrome.