Indications for transoral endoscopic-assisted methods in condylar process fractures

Abstract

Objective: Endoscopic-assisted mandibular subcondylar fracture repair is a different way of performing open reduction internal fixation and also includes surgical equipment and manipulations other than those used in the classical methods. The criteria for patient selection should be different from that of the classical methods. Materials and Methods: Between April 2012 and June 2017, treatment protocols which were applied to 56 patients with mandibular subcondylar fracture were evaluated retrospectively. The first step of this study was to evaluate why patients with mandibular subcondylar fractures were not operated endoscopically. In 34 patients, methods other than endoscopic methods were used. Characteristics of these patients and fractures were demonstrated. Results: Twenty-four patients were followed conservatively. Twenty-two patients were treated with transoral endoscopic method while ten patients were treated with the conventional open surgery. This open surgical treatment was reported by determined the patient records for why the endoscopic method was not preferred. The determined criteria were; condyle with excessive medial deviation, patient age, fracture type, general condition/anesthesia risk, and time of injury. Conclusion: In accordance with clinical experience, some criteria have been defined for patient selection preoperatively in mandibular subcondylar fractures. It believes that with the right patient selection, it will be possible to achieve better results and reduce complications.