Stafne Bone Defect: A 24- Year Case Report of a Benign Surgical Condition

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Stafne’s cavity, also known as Stafne’s bone defect, is a focal osseous cavity defect of the cortical tissue on the lingual surface of the mandible. It is often identified incidentally during radiographic examinations in the field of medical-dental and oro-maxillofacial care. The lesion is typically characterized by a radiolucent, oval or round-shaped area in the region between the angle of the mandible and the lower margin of the mandible, often adjacent to the lower first molar. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This case report aims to describe the anatomo-topographical, clinical, and radiological characteristics of Stafne’s defect, which was incidentally found during a routine assessment of an 80-year-old patient at the Department of Dentistry at the IRRCS San Raffaele Hospital in Milan. A unique feature of this clinical case was the ability to compile a clinical and radiological history of the patient, following an initial diagnostic assessment of the lesion approximately 24 years ago, with a historical series of radiographs and radiographic reports. RESULTS: With access to a chronological series of anatomical radiographs, used for monitoring the evolution of the osteolytic lesion over 24 years, in line with the progression, resolution, or stability of the condition, it was possible to confirm the incidental and presumptive diagnosis of Stafne’s cavity. Panoramic radiographic images, both historical and current, initially provided an assessment of the lesion. Subsequent evaluations with cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) allowed for a more precise diagnosis and confirmed the initial clinical suspicion. CONCLUSION: Although it is a rare osseous defect, Stafne’s cavity should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of mandibular osseous lesions with a pseudocystic phenotype located both more cranially and more caudally to the mylohyoid line. The diagnosis is often incidental and tends to affect males. This condition, considered rare, is benign and does not evoke any symptoms