Parotid gland carcinoma simulating signs and symptoms of craniomandibular disorders--a case report.

The following case involves a 33-year-old woman who received two accidental blows to her left temporomandibular joint (TMJ) region six months before her first visit to the Institute of Dentistry, University of Oulu. Both clinical and computed tomography (CT) examinations of this left TMJ strongly favored a diagnosis of craniomandibular disorders (CMD). However, a fine needle biopsy and an histopathological examination of the parotid gland established the final diagnosis as poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the parotid gland. The course of the disease was very aggressive developing several metastases, and the patient died 24 months after the diagnosis. The presence of facial nerve paralysis, especially in combination with cheek numbness in the parotid region, should have strongly suggested the possibility of such a malignancy.

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