Anat Cell Biol.  2019 Sep;52(3):354-356. 10.5115/acb.19.019.

Stafne bone cavity: a rare cadaveric case report

• Iwanaga J
• Wong TL
• Kikuta S
• Tubbs RS

• KMID: 2459554
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5115/acb.19.019

Abstract

The Stafne bone cavity (SBC), also called the static bone cavity, salivary inclusion cyst, latent cyst, and lingual bone defect is an asymptomatic bony defect that is commonly located inferior to the mandibular canal and slightly above the inferior border of the mandible. It is rare to see the actual bony defect in the cadaver because of its relatively low incidence of 0.1% to 6.06%. We report a unilateral SBC found in a 76-year-old at death male Caucasian cadaver and involving the right mandible. The SBC was oval in shape with a smooth surface and measured 10.8×6.0 mm. The SBC was continuous with the right mylohyoid groove. Since actual photographs of the SBC are lacking in the literature, this report might provide additional insight for better understanding the SBC.

Keyword

Cadaver; Anatomy; Stafne bone; Mylohyoid groove; Variations

MeSH Terms

Aged
Cadaver*
Humans
Hyoid Bone
Incidence
Male
Mandible

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Stafne bone cavity (SBC) of the right mandible. (A) SBC located 25.2 mm anterior to the posterior border of the ramus and 3.3 mm superior to the inferior border of the mandible. Note the mylohyoid groove (arrowheads) has continuity with the SBC. (B) Magnified photo of Fig. 1A.

• 

  Fig. 2 Fluoroscopy of the right mandible (superior-inferior view) showing depth of Stafne bone defect. (A) Plain radiography. (B) Pointing the Stafne bone defect (dotted line and arrow).

Reference

1. Stafne EC. Bone cavities situated near the angle of the mandible. J Am Dent Assoc. 1942; 29:1969–1972.

2. Fordyce GL. The probable nature of so-called latent haemor rhagic cysts of the mandible. Br Dent J. 1956; 101:40–42.

3. Rushton MA. Solitary bone cysts in the mandible. Br Dent J. 1946; 81:37–49. PMID: 20992458.

4. Etoz M, Etoz OA, Sahman H, Sekerci AE, Polat HB. An unusual case of multilocular Stafne bone cavity. Dentomaxillofac Radiol. 2012; 41:75–78. PMID: 22184629.

5. Quesada-Gómez C, Valmaseda-Castellón E, Berini-Aytés L, Gay-Escoda C. Stafne bone cavity: a retrospective study of 11 cases. Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. 2006; 11:E277–E280. PMID: 16648768.

6. Li B, Long X, Cheng Y, Wang S. Cone beam CT sialography of Stafne bone cavity. Dentomaxillofac Radiol. 2011; 40:519–523. PMID: 22065802.

7. Harvey W, Noble HW. Defects on the lngual surface of the mandible near the angle. Br J Oral Surg. 1968; 6:75–83. PMID: 5246825.

8. Kay LW. Some anthropologic investigations of interest to oral surgeons. Int J Oral Surg. 1974; 3:363–379. PMID: 4217312.

9. Minowa K, Inoue N, Sawamura T, Matsuda A, Totsuka Y, Nakamura M. Evaluation of static bone cavities with CT and MRI. Dentomaxillofac Radiol. 2003; 32:2–7. PMID: 12820846.

10. Kaya M, Ugur KS, Dagli E, Kurtaran H, Gunduz M. Stafne bone cavity containing ectopic parotid gland. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2018; 84:669–672. PMID: 27133906.

11. Hansson LG. Development of a lingual mandibular bone cavity in an 11-year-old boy. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol. 1980; 49:376–378. PMID: 6928587.

12. Aguiar LB, Neves FS, Bastos LC, Crusoé-Rebello I, Ambrosano GM, Campos PS. Multiple stafne bone defects: a rare entity. ISRN Dent. 2011; 2011:792145. PMID: 21991486.

13. Hisatomi M, Munhoz L, Asaumi J, Arita ES. Stafne bone defects radiographic features in panoramic radiographs: assessment of 91 cases. Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. 2019; 24:e12–e19. PMID: 30573717.

14. Barker GR. A radiolucency of the ascending ramus of the mandible associated with invested parotid salivary gland material and analogous with a Stafne bone cavity. Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 1988; 26:81–84. PMID: 3422827.

15. Wasterlain SN, Silva AM. Study of stafne's defects in Late Neolithic, Late Roman, Medieval and Modern skeletal samples from Portugal. Int J Osteoarchaeol. 2012; 22:423–434.