Ganglion Cyst of the Temporomandibular Joint Mimicking Auriculotemporal Neuralgia

Ganglion cysts within the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), although uncommon, typically present with swelling, pain, trismus, and difficulty with mastication. The authors report an unusual case of a ganglion cyst in the TMJ of a 52-year-old man who presented with chief complaints of severe headaches and dizziness that had not subsided following treatment with medication, trigger point injections, or sphenopalatine ganglion blocks. The cyst appeared as a nonenhancing, T2 hyperdensity adjacent to the left TMJ condyle on magnetic resonance imaging, supported by the presence of chronic erosion and remodeling of the anterior aspect of the left condylar head on computed tomography. The cyst was surgically removed, and the patient reported that the migraines and accompanying dizziness had ceased 6 months postoperatively. The patient's presentation and improvement following surgery suggest that the location of the cyst in the TMJ and its proximity to the course of the auriculotemporal nerve may have caused auriculotemporal neuralgia, mimicking the symptoms of migraine. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Christopher Michael Runyan, MD, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Wake Forest Baptist Health, Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC 27157; E-mail: crunyan@wakehealth.edu Received 4 May, 2018 Accepted 2 July, 2018 The authors report no conflicts of interest. © 2018 by Mutaz B. Habal, MD.

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