[Treatment of fibrous dysplasia]

The fibrous dysplasia is a rare disease of bone metabolism. Most common on the extremities, its appearance at the skull base is rare but of importance in clinical otorhinolaryngology. The patients suffer from problems such as cosmetical limitation, recurrent pain and in later phases from functional losses which result from bone dysplasia.

Based on the experiences of these cases and the study of the current literature we would like to suggest a stage dependent therapy concept that includes conservativ options as well as surgical methods which are divided into curative and palliative surgical treatments.

The Department of Otorhinolaryngology in Bochum has been involved in the therapy of eight patients suffering from fibrous dysplasia which have been treated and examined from six to twenty years.

Treatment in fibrous dysplasia can be efficient in increasing quality of life. A complete healing is rare and not the main target of treatment.

The staged therapy of fibrous dysplasia consists of conservative and surgical treatment and the combination of both. The decision for an individual therapy concept might be difficult and often requires close interdisciplinary cooperation.