Ganglions of the temporomandibular joint: case report and review of literature

Abstract

We present the third reported case of a ganglion cyst arising from the temporomandibular joint. Like the previous two cases, this lesion occurred in a woman over the age of 40. Unlike the lesions in previous reports, the cyst in our patient was not associated with pain or tenderness, making the diagnosis of parotid tumor more likely. Nevertheless, the case serves to illustrate the need for including ganglion in the differential diagnosis of well-encapsulated preauricular masses in the region of the temporomandibular joint.