Ganglion cyst of temporomandibular joint - A systematic review

Ganglion cyst of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is an uncommon pathology with uncertain etiology. There is no consensus on their management. The current systematic review aimed to discuss the clinical and histopathological features of ganglion cysts of TMJ, to aid in appropriate treatment. A literature search was done and a total of 20 cases were retrieved from published databases such as PubMed, SCOPUS, and Google Scholar. The cyst presented with swelling in all the cases followed by pain (50 %) and trismus (35 %) as other common symptoms. Though CT and MRI proved helpful in determining the location of the cyst, a histopathological examination was essential in concluding its final diagnosis. It is a pseudocyst lined by dense fibro-connective tissue with myxoid tissue degeneration. Histologically, it is essential to distinguish them from the clinically and radiographically similar true cyst of TMJ, synovial cyst. The lining of ganglion cyst is devoid of epithelium and synovial cells. Surgical excision was found to be the treatment of choice with minimal recurrence (10 %) being reported.