A rare case of a ganglionic cyst of the TMJ – Case report and review of the literature

Temporomandibular joint cysts are an infrequently encountered pathology, and must be considered within the differential diagnoses for a mass in the TMJ region. There are two distinct cysts that have been reported in this region – the ganglionic cyst and the synovial cyst. These lesions have been most commonly found in the knee, elbow or finger. Of the two, the ganglionic cyst has been more frequently reported in the TMJ region. However, to date, only 34 cases of ganglionic cysts of the TMJ have been reported in the literature.In this paper, we describe a rare case of a ganglionic cyst of the left TMJ, treated by surgical excision and review the existing literature.