SAPHO Syndrome of the Temporomandibular Joint Associated with Sudden Deafness

Summary: We report a case of arthritis of the temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ) associated with sclerosing osteo-myelitis of the mandible and temporal bone, causing deaf-ness. The presence of a palmoplantar pustulosis established the diagnosis of SAPHO syndrome. SAPHO (an acronym referring to synovitis, acne, palmoplantar pustulosis, hy-perostosis, and osteitis) syndrome is defined by the associ-ation of characteristic osteoarticular and dermatologic manifestations, with diffuse sclerosing osteomyelitis of the mandible being a part of this entity. We review the liter-ature of SAPHO syndrome with mandibular manifesta-tions and discuss the mechanisms of inflammatory spread from the TMJ to the cochlea. To our knowledge, this is the first description of skull base involvement in a patient with SAPHO syndrome leading to sudden deafness