Severe destruction of the temporomandibular joint with complete resorption of the condyle associated with synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, and osteitis syndrome.

The synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, and osteitis( SAPHO) syndromeconsists of a combination of inflammatory bone disorders and dermatologic pathology. Bone lesions as a form of diffuse sclerosing osteomyelitisin the mandible occur in the posterior body and ramus. Bone lesions rarely spread to the temporomandibular joint(TMJ) where ankylosismay result. Herein we present an unusual case of SAPHO syndromewith TMJ involvement in which severe destruction of the TMJ occurred. We observed an extension of the invasive soft tissue lesion into the infratemporal fossafrom the TMJ with complete resorption of the condyle. In contrast to other previously reported cases, in our case the condylewas strongly suspected as the primary site of the bone lesion with subsequent extension to the ramus and infratemporal fossa. The destructive nature and related symptoms resembled a malignant tumor.