CASE REPORT   

European Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 2019 August;3(2):48-52

DOI: 10.23736/S2532-3466.19.00159-0

Copyright © 2019 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Embolization of internal maxillary artery prior to open reduction internal fixation for maxillofacial trauma

Adarsh YAGNIK ✉, Allen F. CHAMPION

Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA

The aim of this study was to discuss a case report at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA, requiring transcatheter embolization of the internal maxillary artery prior to open reduction internal fixation (ORIF), and to review the pertinent literature with regard to an appropriate time frame for ORIF of maxillofacial trauma after transcatheter embolization of the internal maxillary artery. A PubMed search was also conducted using “maxillofacial trauma + embolization” and “maxillofacial trauma + pseudoaneurysm” as search phrases. The search yielded five articles which addressed maxillofacial hemorrhage via transcatheter embolization prior to ORIF of maxillofacial injuries. The time frame after embolization ranged from immediate (same general anesthetic intervention) to 10 days. One case report showed postoperative wound infection requiring removal of fixation hardware. The literature review and case report showed that ORIF after embolization of the internal maxillary artery showed stable results with no significant long-term postoperative complications or morbidity. No reported cases of open intervention within ten days resulted in tissue necrosis of disruption of the previously embolized vessels.

KEY WORDS: Maxillofacial injuries - Maxillary artery - Therapeutic embolization - False aneurysm