Correction of Unilateral Congenital Zygomatico-Mandibular Fusion

Abstract

Sygnathia, or fusion of the jaw, is a rare condition in children, occurring either in isolation or as part of a larger overall syndrome. Consequences of this bony fusion may range from feeding difficulties to a complete inability to protect the airway. Owing to the uncommon nature of this problem and the high recurrence of bony fusion, standardized treatment protocols do not yet exist, making individual reports particularly useful for guiding the first-time management of such patients. In this report, we describe the case of a male infant with complete bony fusion of the right zygomatic maxillary complex to the mandible. Fusion was separated by osteotomy, repair of soft tissue with acellular dermal matrix/grafting, and plate separation. Serial jaw manipulation and operative stretching was necessary to prevent refusion of syngnathia even in the long term.

Congenital bilateral zygomatico-maxillo-mandibular fusion associated with gumfusion: Case report

“…This has led to a better understanding of the malformations by the parents and the resulting poor prognosis [ 9 ]. Because of the rarity of syngnathia, there are no treatment protocols [ 10 ]. As such, case reports can guide the maxillofacial surgeon toward optimal management that can minimize long-term complications.…”