The purpose of this article is to present four new cases of peripheral osteoma of the mandibular condyle and the literature review. A retrospective study of files from our Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery over the last 6 years revealed four cases of peripheral osteomas located in the area of the mandibular condyle. Diagnostic procedure included clinical, radiographic, and histologic criteria. Gardner’s syndrome was excluded from patient history and clinical evaluation. One patient had only an aesthetic disturbance, with facial swelling, and the other three patients presented disturbances of the mandibular function, including deviation during mouth opening along with malocclusion. Three of the patients were male and one was female; all were of middle age (45–65 years old). The proposed surgical treatment was accepted by half of the patients, while the remaining half declined the operation after a confirmation of the diagnosis. Peripheral osteomas of the maxillofacial region are uncommon, and some cases with multiple osteomas are related to Gardner’s syndrome. An osteoma of the mandibular condyle is very rare and surgical treatment is challenging for the surgeon with regards to the approach selection and the related complications. In the two cases that accepted the proposed surgical treatment, no recurrence and no complication was observed.

Background/Objectives: Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality. CLDN18.2 is a tight junction protein, expressed in gastric mucosa and is considered as a novel therapeutic target. Even though CLDN18.2 is associated with various components of the tumor microenvironment and the relation with clinical histopathological parameters has been widely studied, there is no sufficient data on the associations of CLDN18.2 expression and the components of the tumor microenvironment. This systematic review aims to gather and present all available data about the correlation of CLDN 18.2 expression and the tumor microenvironment. Methods: The research questions were systematically formulated using the PICO model to ensure clarity and precision, and the PRISMA flow diagram was constructed to detail the study selection process. Results: Sixteen original articles were retrieved. The major finding of this study was the positive correlation between CLDN18.2 expression and CD8+ T cells, neutrophils and cancer-associated fibroblasts. No correlation was found between CLDN18.2 expression and Tregs and B cells. For the remaining components of the microenvironment, there are contradictory data about their correlation with the expression of CLDN18.2. Conclusions: The tumor microenvironment plays a critical role in cancer progression and needs to be studied more thoroughly.

Phytobezoars constitute conglomerates of indigested plant fibers and are a rare cause of acute mechanical ileus. They exhibit an increased prevalence in the elderly population and people with specific predisposing conditions. Radiological imaging can often set a definitive diagnosis and dictate the optimal therapeutic approach, combined with the patient’s clinical status. An 81-year-old male presented with deteriorating clinical symptoms of intestinal obstruction, and an exploratory laparotomy was performed following inconclusive radiological findings; multiple phytobezoars and incipient intussusception were revealed intraoperatively. A patient’s medical history can often raise clinical suspicion of phytobezoars. However, a careful etiological investigation is imperative in all cases of mechanical ileus in advanced ages; early detection and dissolution of phytobezoars, when applicable, can reduce the need for surgical interventions.