Intra Cranial Dislocation of Mandibular Condyle—10 Year Follow up of a Case and Review of Literature

Abstract

Dislocation of the mandibular condyle into the middle cranial fossa is a rare event with only 59 cases having been reported in the English literature. The common etiology is road traffic accident. Epidemiology wise this injury is found commonly in children and young adults. This has been attributed to the undeveloped condyle being small and rounded. In this report we present a case of central dislocation of the mandibular condyle into the middle cranial fossa in a 20 year old female patient sustained in a road traffic accident. Computed tomography helped in early diagnosis and treatment of the patient. We also stress upon the need for long term follow up of the patient to prevent secondary complications of ankylosis.

Superior Dislocation of the Mandibular Condyle into the Middle Cranial Fossa: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature

“…After reduction, six patients received orthodontic treatment, and four patients underwent orthognathic surgery. The follow-up was 21.6 months on average, ranging from 2 weeks to 10 years [105], and was not reported in 19 cases (16.4%). At follow-up, the maximal mouth opening increased significantly from 10.6 mm before treatment to 36.2 mm after treatment (p < 0.001, paired t-test; Table 5).…”

“…Surprisingly, 16.4% of the studies did not report a follow-up period. Only one report followed up with the patient for 10 years [105]. The lateral pterygoid muscle is the primary muscle involved in the mouth's opening and lateral movements [132,133] and is thought to be severely damaged in this type of trauma because of its attachment to the condyle.…”