Paget's disease and fibrous dysplasia

Paget's disease and fibrous dysplasia are benign disorders that can involve the temporal bone and skull base. They commonly lead to otolaryngologic symptoms such as impingement of cranial nerves or the orbit or blockage of the external auditory canal or paranasal sinuses, although they can often be a challenge to diagnose because of their insidious presentation. Their benign nature and common presentation within the difficult-to-access confines of the skull base should lead the clinician to exercise caution in their treatment, reserving surgical intervention for either diagnosis or the relief of symptoms. As a better understanding of the etiology of these conditions develops and new pharmacotherapeutic agents are tested, it is likely that physicians will be able to turn to medical rather than surgical techniques to treat these disorders.