Abstract
Proper understanding of the disease is important for finding the proper treatment for internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and for evaluating its result. The efficacy of clinical investigation using a fine needle fiberscope for the diagnosis of temporomandibular intracapsular lesion is reported.
(1) This fiberscope was made by Medical Science Co., Ltd. and is 0.8mm in outside diameter.
(2) Adverse affects to the patient was kept to a minimum because this diagnostic arthroscopic method enabled examination at the same time as double-contrast arthrotomography under local anesthesia.
(3) This method was effective in the diagnosis of synovitis and fibrillation within the superior cavity. It was possible to observe capsular adhesion, but it was not possible to diagnose disc displacement, disc deformation, or perforation of the posterior attachment of the disc.
(4) In the comparison with the superior articular cavity, investigation of the inferior articular cavity was more difficult due to limited view range. Therefore, further improvement of the method is required to obtain using results in the investigation of the inferior articular cavity.
(5) None of patients experienced side effects, and diagnostic arthroscopy was found to be a safe, viable method.
