Treatment of bilateral temporomandibular joint ankylosis with interpositional temporal muscle graft arthroplasty: A case report

Introduction: Temporomandibular joint ankylosis (TMJA) is characterized by a limited range of motion of the mandible and is mainly caused by untreated trauma, TMJ surgery, or other diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Treatment of choice for TMJA is surgery with the following techniques: (1) gap arthroplasty, (2) interpositional muscle graft arthroplasty, and (3) total TMJ replacement with an autogenous or alloplastic graft. The primary objective of TMJA treatment is to restore joint function and prevent reankylosis. Case Report: A 13-year-old female was referred to our hospital with the chief complaint of having had difficulty in mouth opening over the past year. The patient had a history of a bicycle accident 2 years before presentation, during which she hit the sidewalk and suffered an open wound in the chin area without loss of consciousness. The wound was subsequently sutured at a hospital, and she was discharged without any medications. We performed bilateral interpositional temporal muscle graft arthroplasty. The patient showed uneventful postoperative healing with a 3-cm interincisal opening. Conclusion: Interpositional temporal muscle graft arthroplasty is suitable for the treatment of bilateral temporomandibular joint ankylosis provided that regular physiotherapy and close follow-up are continued.