Conversion of Aneurysmal Bone Cyst into Fibrous Dysplasia: A Rare Pediatric Case Report

Aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) is an uncommon, non-neoplastic, expansive and erosive bone lesion. Considered as a pseudocyst due the lack of epithelial lining, the presence of giant cells and similarity to other lesions can make preoperative diagnosis difficult; biopsy findings must be co-related to complete clinical and radiological assessment. ABC's controversial etiopathogenesis and variable clinicopathological presentations have been widely described, but to date, there are just a few reports in literature describing the development of fibrous dysplasia (FD) from an ABC, and even less cases occurring in the jaws. We describe the case of an ABC in an 8 year-old male patient, affecting the body of the mandible, which showed accelerated growth associated to thinning of the buccal, lingual and lower cortical plates. The treatment consisted of repetitive surgical resection, curettage of the lesion and mandibular reinforcement with osteosynthesis reconstruction plates. A 16-month follow-up showed self-limitation of the overgrowth. The final histopathological and radiological analysis confirmed the FD diagnosis.