Tubercular osteomyelitis of the condyle and ramus of the mandible: A case report

Tubercular osteomyelitis most commonly affects the spine but can involve any bone including ribs, pelvis, and long bones. Over 15 cases with involvement of the mandible have also been reported, and mostly involve the body of the mandible. Tubercular osteomyelitisof the mandibular condyle and ramus is very rare, and only three cases have been reported so far. Here, we present a 27-year-old otherwise healthy adult male, who presented with a painless swelling of his right jaw associated with severe trismus. The patient did not have any pulmonary or constitutional symptoms, and the chest radiograph showed no evidence of pulmonary tuberculosis. MRI of the face showed osteomyelitis affecting the mandibular condyle and the ramus. Ultrasound-guided aspiration of the lesion showed caseating necrosis suggestive of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Following drainage of the abscess cavity, the patient received antitubercular therapy for 6 months which led to complete remission.