Progressively bilateral resorption of the mandible.

We describe a case of arrested spontaneous mandibular resorption for which there was no effective treatment. A 32-year-old male patient presented to our department with mandibular resorption so severe that the residual mandibular body bone resembled chopsticks. A provisional diagnosis of Gorham-Stout Syndrome (GSS) was made. VEGF levels found in plasma and tissue fluid was believed to be a possible marker for the condition. Although there was no histological evidence for the diagnosis, a combination of the history, physical changes, and pathological findings in the soft tissues, we believe the diagnosis of GSS using VEGF as a marker was reasonable. There are over 200 reports of GSS in the literature. Most of the research has focused on the pathologic changes in the bone, but the condition of the related soft tissues has usually been ignored. We believe that this report is one of the first cases in which the mandibular resorption has been arrested for some time, during which the soft tissue is still in a pathological condition.