Diagnostic Dilemma of Vanishing Bone Disease - A Case Report and Review of Literature

RATIONALE: Vanishing bone disease (VBD) is a rare bone disorder in which progressive osteolysis may lead to complete disappearance of involved bones. The diagnosis of this disease requires a high degree of clinical suspicion. We present a case of progressive osteolysis of mandible in a patient. PATIENT CONCERNS: The patient had been without definitive diagnosis and treatment for over a year. DIAGNOSIS: Diagnosis was made by exclusion of genetic, traumatic, inflammatory, infective, endocrine and neoplastic aetiologies and by carefully correlating clinical, imaging and histopathological findings of the patient. TREATMENT: Segmental resection of the advancing edge of the lesion was carried out. OUTCOME: The patient is disease free, with no evidence of further osteolysis, after six months of follow-up. TAKE-AWAY LESSONS: This article describes the exclusion-based approach adopted to diagnose a case of VBD, aiming to standardise a workup for the diagnosis.