Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis Presenting as a Unifocal Eosinophilic Granuloma in the Body of the Mandible: A Rare Report

Introduction: Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a relatively rare and unique benign disease characterized by an abnormal proliferation of immature dendritic cells which usually affects children and young adults. Jaws are involved in less than 10% of children with the disease. Objective: To add on to the literature one more case of this rare and unique disease which accounts for less than 1% of all bone tumors and also to discuss its oral manifestation and management. Setting: Private maxillofacial surgery institute, Kolkata, West Bengal. Patient: A 2 years and 8 months old male child with solitary swelling over the lower left jaw since one and half months. Lesion was fixed to underlying bone and there was an expan­ sion of buccal cortical plate at the body of mandible. Results: Enucleation of the lesion performed after assessing history, clinical and radiological dertails and also considering patient’s age. Postoperative biopsy result came as LCH pre­ senting as a unifocal eosinophil granuloma. Appropriate surgical inter vention resulted in a dramatic improvement in patient’s clinical condition. At present, patient is disease­free and asymptomatic. Conclusion: Surgical enucleation or curettage is a preferred treatment option for maxillary and mandibular lesion. Potential for the unifocal disease to become multifocal should not be under estimated as the disease can be unpredictable. We recom­ mend long­term follow­up due to uncertainty of the disease.