Analysis of Histopathologic Subtypes of Unicystic Ameloblastoma in a Nigerian Population

Authors

  • Osawe Felix OMOREGIE, BDS, MSc, FWACS-Oral Path),
  • Efetobo V . ORIKPETE, BDS
  • Mike A. OJO, BDS, M.Med. Sc, DMR

Keywords:

Unicystic-ameloblastoma, clinical features, Histopathologic-subtype

Abstract

Objective: Recent studies recommend that the treatment of unicystic ameloblastoma should be varied
depending on the histopathologic subtypes of the lesion. This study therefore aims to determine the
prevalence, age, gender, jaw-site and histopathologic subtypes of unicystic ameloblastoma in the South-
South Nigerian population.
Methods: A 16-year retrospective review of 1473 diagnosed orofacial lesions, including 192 cases of
ameloblastoma, among which the unicystic ameloblastomas were selected and their clinicopathological
features were analyzed in the Department of Oral Pathology and Medicine, University of Benin Teaching
Hospital, Benin City.
Results: There were 81(5.5%) cases of unicystic ameloblastomas, among the diagnosed orofacial lesions,
accounting for 42.2% of ameloblastomas in this Centre. The patients' mean age was 31 + 1.5 years, with the
2nd and 3rd decades of life as the peak age group (n=46, 56.8%) and a male to female ratio of 1.5:1. The mean
duration on presentation was 34.6 months + 6.7 S.E and anterior mandible (n=40, 49.4%) was the
predominant site of the lesion. The mural unicystic ameloblastoma (n=61, 75.3%) was the most common
histopathologic subtype of the lesion, followed by the luminal (n=13, 16.0%) and the intraluminal (n=7,
8.6%) subtypes.
Conclusion: This study observed a higher prevalence of unicystic ameloblastoma compared to previous
reports. The lesions were found mostly in young males with predilection for the anterior mandible. The
mural unicystic ameloblastoma was the predominant subtype in this population, which may require local
surgical resection because of the higher risk of recurrence.
Keywords: Unicystic-ameloblastoma, clinical features, Histopathologic-subtype

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Published

2017-04-25