Autologous blood injection as a new treatment modality for chronic recurrent temporomandibular joint dislocation
Received 18 May 2009; received in revised form 31 July 2009; accepted 1 August 2009. published online 18 November 2009.
Purpose
Many different surgical and nonsurgical techniques have been used to treat patients with chronic recurrent temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dislocation. The nonsurgical techniques consist of injecting different substances into the TMJ area. This study was carried out to assess autologous blood injection to the TMJ for treatment of chronic recurrent TMJ dislocation.
Patients and methods
Thirty patients having chronic recurrent TMJ dislocation were randomly divided into 2 equal groups (15 patients in each). Group A was treated only by autologous blood injection into the superior joint space (SJS), whereas group B received autologous blood injections to the SJS and the pericapsular tissues (PT).
Results
At the end of the follow-up period of 1 year, the results of the current study have showed that injection of autologous blood to the SJS and PT gave a higher success rate (80%) than its injection only into the SJS (60%). Moreover, the patients of group B had an average decrease in their maximal mouth opening (5.3 ± 2.1) higher than that of group A (3.6 ± 1.5). Also, the digital radiographic imaging of the joints in group B only showed the condylar head posterior to the articular eminence, in open position, instead of being anterior to it before the injection. In both groups, no destructive changes to the bony components of the joint have been observed.
Conclusions
We could conclude from this study that the injection of autologous blood into the TMJ in patients with chronic recurrent dislocation is a simple, safe and cost-effective technique. So, we encourage injection of autologous blood to the SJS and PT for treatment of patients with chronic recurrent TMJ dislocation, as it has shown better clinical and radiographic results than its injection only to the SJS.
Professor of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Oral & Dental Medicine, Cairo University; Chairman of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Department, Alharm Hospital, Ministry of Health, Cairo, Egypt
Reprint requests: Emad T. Daif, BDS, MSc, PhD, Professor of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Oral & Dental Medicine, Cairo University, Chairman of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Department, Alharm Hospital, Ministry of Health, 2 Street No. 100, Maadi, Cairo, Egypt
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