Aim. The present study aims at exemplifying the incidence, and aetiology and analyses the outcomes of open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) over closed treatment of mandibular ramus fractures. Patients and Method. In the present retrospective analysis of mandibular fracture patients, variables analysed were age, sex, cause of injury, pretreatment occlusion, treatment given, period of maxillo-mandibular fixation (MMF), and posttreatment occlusion. Results. Out of 388 mandibular fractures treated, ramus fractures were 12 (3.09%). In the present study, predominant cause of mandibular ramus fracture was road traffic accident (RTA) n = 07 (58.33%) followed by fall n = 04 (33.33%) and assault n = 1 (8.33%). The average age was 35.9 years with a male predilection. Of these, 9 patients were treated with ORIF while remaining 3 with closed treatment. The average MMF after closed treatment was 21 days and 3 to 5 days after ORIF. There was improvement in occlusion in all 12 patients posttreatment with no major complication except for reduced mouth opening in cases treated with ORIF which recovered with physiotherapy and muscle relaxants. Conclusion. Mandibular ramus fractures accounted for 3.09% with RTA as a common aetiology. ORIF of ramus fractures facilitated adequate functional and anatomic reduction with early return of function.

Despite a paradigm shift in anesthesia and trauma airway management, the craniomaxillofacial fracture (CMF) patients continue to pose a challenge. A prospective study was planned between April 2007 and March 2015 to investigate the safety, efficacy, utility, and complications of anterior submandibular approach for transmylohyoid intubation (TMI) in CMFs using an armored endotracheal tube (ETT). Out of 1,207 maxillofacial trauma cases reported, this study recruited 206 patients (152 males and 54 females) aged between 21 and 60 years. No episode of oxygen desaturation was noted intraoperatively. Mean time to perform TMI was 6 ± 2 minutes. The mean transmylohyoid ETT withdrawal time/disconnection time from ventilator was approximately 1.5 minutes. Accidental partial extubation of ETT was noted in two patients (0.97%), and three patients (1.45%) developed abscess formations at anterior submandibular site which were managed by incision and drainage. The anterior submandibular approach for TMI was successfully used and provided stable airway in all elective CMF surgery cases, where oral or nasal intubations were not indicated/feasible and long-term ventilation support was not required. It permitted simultaneous dental occlusion-guided reduction and fixation of all the facial fractures without interference from the tube during the surgery with unhindered maintenance of the anesthesia and airway. The advantages include easy, swift, efficient, and reliable approach with a small learning curve.

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Chyle leak is a well-recognized iatrogenic thoracic duct injury but a rare and serious complication of head and neck surgery affecting 1-2.5% of head and neck surgery dissections. It is potentially a life-threatening condition and management may be problematic and prolonged. Here we presented a rare case report of right sided chyle leak with its surgical management and review of literature. A 56-year-old patient with a complain of non-healing ulcer in the right buccal vestibule in the last 1-2 months reported to the outpatient department (OPD). After complete preoperative profile and counseling patient's consent was taken and wide local excision of lesion was done with bite composite resection with right hemimandibulectomy and maxillary alveolectomy till pterygoid plates, with right side selective neck dissection, level I-III followed by reconstruction with right side pectoralis major myofascial flap. Then the patient was on 5 days octreotide therapy. Regular post-operative follow-up was taken and no leak was noted further. In case of a chyle leak early diagnosis and aggressive treatment is essential to avoid local and systemic complications that prolong hospitalization.