Eminectomy and plication of the posterior disc attachment following arthrotomy for temporomandibular joint internal derangement

• Published in: Journal of cranio-maxillo-facial surgery 2004-12, Vol.32 (6), p.354-359
• Main Authors: Baldwin, Andrew J., Cooper, John C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Arthrography - statistics & numerical data; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Dentistry; Disc plication; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Eminectomy; Facial bones, jaws, teeth, parodontium: diseases, semeiology; Facial Pain - surgery; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Joint Dislocations - diagnostic imaging; Joint Dislocations - surgery; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous. Osteoarticular involvement in other diseases; Non tumoral diseases; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Patient Satisfaction; Postoperative Complications; Range of Motion, Articular - physiology; Retrospective Studies; Sensitivity and Specificity; Sound; Surgical success; Temporal Bone - surgery; Temporomandibular Joint Disc - surgery; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders - diagnostic imaging; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders - surgery; Temporomandibular joint surgery; Tissue Adhesions - diagnostic imaging; Tissue Adhesions - surgery; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 1010-5182; 1878-4119
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcms.2004.05.003

The aim of this study was to assess the success of a single surgical procedure (eminectomy and meniscal plication) in patients with internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint. A retrospective survey of 119 joints (92 patients), that had undergone eminectomy +/- meniscal plication for internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint, over a 10 year period, was undertaken. The same surgeon undertook all surgery and clinical evaluation. Assessment of joint pain, noise/click, and mobility were assessed pre- and post-operatively. Clinical assessment at 24 months postoperatively and patient evaluation (average 59 months postoperatively) formed the basis for the results. Clinical assessment and patient evaluation revealed an improvement in pain (65%), noise (63%) and mobility (71%). The outcome of surgery as assessed by the patients and clinicians showed that both have similar expectations and evaluations of the results of temporomandibular joint surgery, which were reasonably good. Arthrography, which was used as a diagnostic technique prior to surgery, was shown to be unreliable with relatively low sensitivity and specificity.