Minimal Incision Approach for Condyle Fracture Treatment

Abstract

Introduction Surgical treatment of condylar neck fractures requires an extraoral approach when, due to the degree of difficulty of the fracture, an intraoral approach or an endoscopically supported treatment is not possible. In contrast to the cosmetically more favorable oral approach, extraoral approaches offer a better overview of the operating field and thus an easier fracture repositioning and osteosynthetic treatment. In 2007, Marti et al. described a minimal pre-and retroauricular incision with no extension to the hair-bearing skin and which aimed to improve the parotidectomy approach. Materials and Methods We present two cases in which minimal incision was used as a surgical approach for treatment of the condylar neck. Discussion Using the minimal incision, we were able to access the condylar neck. This type of approach as well as having the advantages of an open approach makes it possible to conceal the scar in the periauricular region and reduce the likelihood of salivary fistula.

Variants and Modifications of the Retroauricular Approach Using in Temporomandibular Joint Surgery: A Systematic Review

“…The essential shape of the incision in RA runs almost the full length of the sulcus of the retroauricular crease [ 8 , 11 ]. According to the publications which underwent full-text analysis in the course of this review, the incision can be extended in three directions: (a) upper-anterior; (b) lower-anterior; and (c) posterior [ 14 , 26 , 27 ]. Out of these, only the first, upper-anterior extension is used for a wider exposure of the temporomandibular joint [ 14 , 15 ].…”

“…Out of these, only the first, upper-anterior extension is used for a wider exposure of the temporomandibular joint [ 14 , 15 ]. The next two, i.e., the lower-anterior and posterior modifications of RA, assume the shortening of the main incision by its upper part corresponding to approximately half the length of the original preparation [ 26 , 27 ]. The shortening of the upper part of the incision, the limitation of the subauricular preparation, and the lack of cutting the external auditory canal result in the inability to reach the temporomandibular joint.…”

“…The anterior extension of the lower part of the RA with the shortening of its upper part leads to the “minimal incision approach”, which is also a retroauricular modification of the perilobular approach [ 27 ]. The “minimal incision approach” is used for parotidectomy or reposition with internal fixation of the mandibular neck fractures [ 27 ].…”

“…The anterior extension of the lower part of the RA with the shortening of its upper part leads to the “minimal incision approach”, which is also a retroauricular modification of the perilobular approach [ 27 ]. The “minimal incision approach” is used for parotidectomy or reposition with internal fixation of the mandibular neck fractures [ 27 ]. The posterior modification of RA, referred to simply as the “retroauricular approach”, is primarily a modification of the rhytidectomy approach in the form of shortening the original incision by the preaural fragment [ 26 , 28 ].…”