Abstract
The mandibular condyles are a common site for mandibular fractures, although dislocation into the middle cranial fossa is rare. We report a case of dislocation of the condylar head into the middle cranial fossa in a patient with mandibular fracture sustained in a traffic accident. A 38-year-old woman was injured when the bicycle she was riding collided with a car. She was admitted to our hospital with general bruising and malocclusion. CT showed fracture of the left-sided mandibular body, condylar head and the mandibular fossa of the right temporal bone. Remarkably, the right-sided condylar head protruded into the middle cranial fossa, and MRI showed an epidural hematoma. The neurosurgeon opted for conservative treatment. After placing an intermaxillary fixation （IMF） and performing occlusal guidance, we performed open reduction and internal fixation of the mandibular body, but not of the left-sided condylar fracture. Postoperatively, intermaxillary elastic was used and opening training was performed. Subsequently, occlusion was restored and remained stable during the follow-up period.
