Condylectomy and silastic arthroplasty in cases of TMJ ankylosis

ABSTRACT

The different methods of T.M.J. arthroplasty in cases of ankylosis are reviewed, with particular emphasis upon the use of silastic. Twenty patients with ankylosis of the T.M.J. were treated by condylectomy and silastic arthroplasty. Thirteen patients had unilateral and seven had bilateral ankylosis. A procedure for the insertion of silastic implant without fixation was used. Twenty-seven implants were interpositioned. Within the five years following surgery 55.5% of the implants had to be removed due to dislocation and/or skin ulceration with exposure of the silastic. The recurrence rate of ankylosis was 10% of patients. We suggest that displacement of the implant is due to mechanical causes therefore good fixation of the silastic implant by wires, wound drainage and better shaping of the implant are requisites for successful silastic interpositional arthroplasty