Stafne mandibular bone cavity

Description

Although commonly called a Stafne cyst, this entity is not a true cyst but rather a cavity due to a focal cortical defect of the medial aspect of the mandible. It is found most frequently in middle-aged men and is usually discovered radiologically as an incidental finding. Its importance is that it may be difficult to distinguish from other radiolucent lesions in the mandible such as myeloma or metastatic squamous carcinoma. The cavity is usually filled by part of the submandibular salivary gland or adjacent fat and it is thought to result from remodelling of the bone by adjacent salivary tissue. Stafne cysts are most frequently seen in middle-aged men. The estimated prevalence ranges around 0.10-0.48%. Pathology: Stafne cysts are thought to result from remodelling of the bone by adjacent salivary tissue, and have been noted to regress following resection of the gland nearby. They generally appear in the area between the mandibular first molar and the mandibular angle 6.

Exclusions from above levels

• 01 – Certain infectious or parasitic diseases
• 02 – Neoplasms
• 05 – Endocrine, nutritional or metabolic diseases