Surgical treatment for bilateral recurrent anterior luxation of the temporomandibular joint in an elderly patient under local anesthesia: Report of a case

Abstract

There are various methods of the surgical treatment for recurrent anterior luxation of the temporomandibular joint. The optimal treatment should be selected after a thorough consultation by the patient, the family, and the request of doctor with consideration of the patient's age, the physical state of the patient, etc. We herein describe the surgical treatment for bilateral recurrent anterior luxation of the temporomandibular joint in an elderly patient. A 91-year-old male patient was referred to the Department of Dentistry and Oral Surgery at Toho Hospital, with chief complaint of being unable to close his mouth. The clinical diagnosis of bilateral anterior luxation of the temporomandibular joint was made, and the patient underwent the Hippocrates operation. But luxation remained after surgery therefore surgical intervention with the Buckley-Terry method was performed in order to block condylar translation, under local anesthesia. There were no evidences of recurrent luxation for approximately one month after surgical treatment at which time the patient passed away due to old age.