Solitary Extraosseous Neurofibroma in a 5-Year-Old Child - A Case Report

Rationale: Neurofibroma (NF) is the most common benign peripheral nerve sheath tumour that most often occurs as a solitary tumour. A clinical and imaging diagnosis may be challenging since no distinctive features are unique for this lesion. Solitary NFs are treated by complete resection that may sometimes require a nerve sacrifice, ending with a neurological deficit.

Patient concerns: A 5-year-old girl with mild asymptomatic slow-growing swelling in the vestibulum of her right mandible.

Diagnosis: A solitary variant of extraosseous NF involving the right mental branch of the inferior alveolar nerve.

Treatment: Surgical removal of the lesion while fully preserving the mental branch.

Outcomes: No sensory deficit was identified during a 3-month follow-up.

Take-away lessons: Ultrasonography is a valuable tool for evaluating soft-tissue masses of the oral cavity. A solitary extraosseous NF involving the mental branch can be surgically removed without nerve deficit.