TECHNICAL NOTES   

Italian Journal of Maxillofacial Surgery 2009 April;20(1):55-8

Copyright © 2009 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Operative transoral endoscopic mandibular condylectomy in condylar fractures: proposal for a new technique

Rinna B., Paparo F., Mustazza M. C., Reale G., Iannetti G.

Department of Maxillo-Facial Surgery La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy

Mandibular condylar fractures account for an average percentage of 9% to 45% of all mandibular fractures. Although controversial, conservative treatment remains the most widely used method due to possible complications of surgery such as risk of facial nerve damage and creation of visible scars. Nevertheless, there are some cases in which surgery appears to be the mostly unique therapeutic option to properly restore mandibular function, such as those cases in which a bony fragment hardly interferes with mandibular function thus putting the joint at high- risk of ankylosis. As regard as surgical techniques, in addition to open surgery, the transoral endoscopically assisted approach is being routinely extended because of its relative safety in terms of either risk of facial nerve injury or aesthetic and functional results. In this paper, the authors present an intra-oral medial endoscopic mandibular approach for condylar fragment removal in an antero-medial displaced condylar fracture case which was never described by the International Literature.