Spontaneous regeneration of bone after removal of a vascularised fibular bone graft from a mandibular segmental defect: a case report.

Spontaneous bony regeneration of a segmental mandibular defect is rarely, if ever, reported and its mechanism is not clearly understood. However, several predisposing factors, including the presence of the periosteum, the age of the patient, the presence of local infection or stumps or fragments of bone, postoperative immobilisation, and functional or mechanical stress on the mandibular stumps, have all been suggested. We present a rare case of unexpected spontaneous regeneration of bone after removal of a vascularised fibular bone graft with osteomyelitis in a 48-year-old patient. In particular, the periosteum of the bone graft rather than the mandibular site was preserved. We know of no such previous report.