Surgical access to condylar fractures in panfacial traumas.

AIM: Surgical access to the condyle in panfacial fractures is a delicate and debated issue. The aim of the study was to propose a protocol which would apply in the treatment of panfacial fractures requiring access to the condyles. METHODS: A case series of 10 patients (8 males and 2 females) with panfacial fractures consisting of 16 extracapsular mandibular condylar fractures associated with 3 symphyseal, 7 parasymphyseal, 1 mandibular angle, 6 Le Fort II, 3 orbitomaxillomalar, 5 zygomatic arch fractures were included in this study. Reduction and fixation were achieved using the mini-retromandibular access in 6 patients with 10 extracapsular condylar fractures while in 4 patients with 6 extracapsular condylar fractures access to the condyles consisted in a face-lift-type preauricular access, as a caudal extension of a coronal or hemicoronal incision required for the reduction and fixation of other fractures of the upper and middle thirds. RESULTS: A good morphological and functional outcome was achieved in all patients. No surgical complication associated with access to the condyles or treatment of the condylar fractures was registered. CONCLUSION: The proposed protocol could be used as a guide in choosing access to the condyles in panfacial traumas.

Lingual nerve lesion during ranula surgical treatment: case report.

Iatrogenic lingual nerve (LN) injuries are quite common in oral surgery both in maxillo-facial surgery and in oral surgery. LN runs superficially into the lateral mouth floor just beneath the mucous layer and this position enhances damage frequency. This article lists the different aetiologies of iatrogenic LN injuries and it almost focuses on lesions due to surgical treatment of ranulas. In the case report a LN lesion due to oral ranula excision is discussed; the patient experienced anaesthesia and hyperpatia in the corrisponded tongue side. It was treated with a microneurosugical anastomosis of LN, after amputation neuroma excision. The partial and definitive recovery of perception happened in six months and was deemed satisfying with 70% of functionality restored (results compared with the functionality of the contralateral side). An algorithm for diagnosis and therapy indication for iatrogenic injuries to nerves is also proposed. In case of surgical treatment, funcitonal recovery manifests after 4-6 month; a functional recovery of 70% of total nerve function is possible. The variable that most affects nerve functional recovery is surgical treatment timing; it must be performed as soon as possible.